Zero no Tsukaima Darkness Rising
by Drew CH
Summary: Saito and Louise are once against involved in a struggle bought about by a mad man looking to rule over all the kingdoms. Along with other successors to legends Saito and Louise venture to Germania in hopes of stopping this threat.
1. Chapter 1

The Holy Knights

The magic academy is shaken by a sudden explosion but strangely no one reacts beyond taking a deep breath and letting out a heavy sigh.

"Saito you dog what are you doing with the maid!?" Louise as usual has found Saito in a very bad situation with Siesta. "You horny dog! Explosion!" Louise's wand glows blue and another explosion rocks the academy.

"Louise nothing happened she tripped and fall on top of me I swear."

"You are just a dog no you are lower than a dog, you are back to being a water flea," Louise turns around and begins to stomp away mumbling under her breathe about how much she hates Saito.

"Saito I should be going I have more things to do." Siesta bows and and Saito just nods from his newly acquire position on the ground after the last explosion.

"Man why does this always seem to happen I am just minding my own business and something always happens that puts me in a bad situation just as Louise finds me," he takes a deep breath and hangs his head, "Doesn't she know how I feel by now?"

As Saito begins to slowly fall into a depressing state Guiche finds him, "You know every time I see you you are like this," Before Saito can explain the situation to him Guiche continues, "But that doesn't really matter right now you need to come with me, its time for the knights to train.

"Yeah......"

The Undine Knights, a rag tag bunch of mages that would like to become knights are all waiting for Saito and Guiche, once they arrive the knights begin the usual training which usually consists of simply sparring matches with no magic, Saito leisurely watches and sometimes joins in a match using a wood sword so that his power doesn't activate.

After about an hour a scream is heard from the far side of the quad where the knights have been practicing, "SAITO!!"

Without looking Saito instantly knows he's in trouble, "Looks like we are done for today Guiche......Guiche?"

Saito spins around and finds all the Undine Knights include Guiche has been knocked down, a few unconscious, and someone is holding Louise hostage with a blade to her throat."

"Louise! Let her go!"

The person behind Louise chuckles, "You better go get Derflinger, other wise you won't be able to save her."

_"How does he know about Derflinger," _

"Louise hold on I'll-"

Guiche limps over to Saito, Derflinger in hand, "Better hurry up and be the hero,"

"Thanks Guiche, let's go Derflinger!" Saito draws his sword his left hand glows as the runes activate."

As Saito charges at the man holding Louise he whispers, "I'm sorry Void Mage," as lets go of her and pulls metal gauntlets on.

Saito jumps into the air and brings Derflinger down upon the man's gauntlets with full force. The impact causes an explosion of energy that separates the two of them.

"You are powerful God's Left Hand."

The man charges at Saito and begins trying to connect with his fists.

_Partner he's too close you won't be able to use me unless you create some space!_

"Louise use explosion!"

"Why Saito-"

"Just do it!"

Louise points her wand at Saito and the attacker, "EXPLOSION!"

The blast knocks both combatants to the ground and creates the space need for Saito to run up the attacker and put the tip of Derflinger to his throat.

"Who are you, who sent you, was it Tabitha's uncle!?"

The man stands up even with the blade still close to his throat, "You ask to many questions and you don't wait for them to be answered, you are very impatient Saito, the left hand of God."

"Fine then, who are you."

"Before I answer will you please move Derflinger from my neck," Saito doesn't move, "Airo," A gust of wind goes past Saito and suddenly Louise is being held captive again this time by a man with short olive colored hair. "Saito please remove the sword from my throat"

As the blade lowers the man, Airo, moves away from Louise.

"Thank you Saito," The brown haired man clears his throat and takes off the gauntlets that he was wearing, "My name is Seth and though you might have trouble believing it I'm from the United States."

Saito's eyes go wide at the very mention of a place from earth, "You said the United States, like the United States of America?"

"Yup, Why do you think I look like this," Saito didn't take the time before but now notices that he is wearing a blue tee shirt with the NIKE logo on the sleeve and light cacao jean shorts, with a belt to hold the gauntlets. "Besides didn't you think it was strange to be fighting someone with brown hair and green eyes, Louise over there has pink hair for crying out loud."

Saito puts his sword back, "I guess I didn't really think about it, I was a little pre-occupied to notice your 'earthly' traits."

Louise stomps over, her face a rather unpleasant shade of red, "Saito why are you two just talking now, what happened ,who is this guy!?"

Seth turns to her and does a very small bow, "My name is Seth, I'm sorry about before but we had to be sure he was the left hand of God. I know you have a lot of questions so perhaps I should just explain our situation first and I'll answer any questions after, okay?"

Louise, slightly less red faced nods and crosses her arms.

Airo walks over and joins the group as well as Guiche very cautiously does. They all sit down in the grass and Seth scratches his head as if trying to find a good way to start, "Oh yeah this is Airo, he's from west Gallia." Airo smiles and bows as best he can from a seated position. "And that guy over there is Zion." Saito and Louise look over by a tree and find another man with platinum colored hair reading a book, strangely in close proximity is Tabitha, who is also reading a book.

"Now that we are all introduced I can start, me, Airo, Zion and another one of us are called the Holy Knights, though I am sure you never heard of us. We are what I guess you could say are 'preventers' we try our best to stop bad people from doing bad things before anyone in general public and more importantly leaders of other nations know about it. We also have a very deep rooted connection to Saito, the left hand of God."

"Why do you keep saying that, what is that name for." Guiche looks at Saito's left hand, "Is it because of the runes on it?"

"Beyond the obvious facts we can't really say, because........we don't know." Louise and Guiche both suddenly have sarcastic looks on their faces. "Every weapon he touches that was meant for battle he instantly knows how to use to its full potential, no one else can do that."

"Does the fact that I came form Earth have anything to do with it?"

Seth looks over at Saito, "That will come later in my story."

"This may comes as a surprise to you but you aren't the only special one." Everyone gets a confused look on their face. Seth rolls up the sleeve the cover he left arm and only Louise can see because she is next to him on that side, her eyes grow wide and then she looks at Saito's left hand. "On my left arm is the same rune that is on Saito's left hand. I am the left arm of God." Airo rolls up his pant leg and reveals that he also has the rune on his left knee, "Airo is the left leg of God. So you see we are all special, just like you Saito."

Saito looks down at his hand and at Seth's arm and Airo's knee, "All the same...."

Louise points over to Zion who is still under the tree reading, still in proximity to Tabitha, who doesn't seem to even notice his presence, "What about him," Louise takes a sarcastic tone like she is speaking down on Seth, "What is he, the left ear, or the left foot!"

"Louise, I'm not playing a practical joke on you, that would just be a dumb waste of time, Zion has the left eye of God, if you don't believe me look at his left eye the runes are there."

Louise gets up and walks over to Zion

_What is going on, I thought Saito and I where special if there are more people like Saito then there might be more mages like me, what if Saito wasn't meant to be with me but one of them, this is so infuriating!_

Louise enters the shade of the tree and looks down at the platinum hair of Zion, who is still reading his book. "Well look at me," Zion keeps reading his book which makes Louise even more annoyed than before, "As a noble I order you to look at me!"

Zion reaches the last page of his book and closes it, "I'm sorry I was lost in the story I guess." Zion looks up at her but she can't see the runes inside his eye.

Louise turns around, "I don't see anything in his eye!"

Seth shouts back, "Zion let those students wake up they have been asleep long enough."

Zion scratches his head and laughs, "Woops, I forgot about them," Zion closes his eyes and chants a short phrase and then opens his eyes back up, "Awaken."

As his magic begins to work his left eye begins to glow until the runes are clear in his left eye. As the magic fades and the students wake up the rune fades and his eye looks normal again.

Louise stand speechless as the Undine Knights begin to wake up from their naps.

As Louise walks back to the circle where everyone is sitting Zion notices Tabitha sitting under another tree and walks over, "Hi, my name is Zion."

Back at the circle Seth continues his story, "So now you believe us Louise," she nods but avoids his eyes, "Since we are on the subject I guess I should tell you about the last of us he doesn't like to travel with us so you probably will not meet him any time soon but his name is Kai, Tutor."

The name's familiarity makes Saito try to remember, but the name makes Louise begin to shiver. Saito looks over at Louise as a tear falls from her cheek, "Prince Wales last name was Tutor."

Seth's expression changes slightly but he continues, Kai is Wales half-brother, his father's illegitimate son. We don't know his last name but as far as I know Kai uses it to honor his half brother, he seemed to care deeply for him. I don't think Wales knew the truth about Kai."

Louise wipes the tears from her face, "Could Kai take the throne then?"

Seth shrugs, "I don't know much about this cause I'm like Saito I'm not from here, Airo what about it?"

Airo thinks about it for a moment, "I don't think he really could, it would seem too simple for someone to just say they are of royal blood, it would start a civil war if he did get any support from the nobles."

"So what is he then, there can only be so many things left since leg, arm, hand, and eye are already taken?" Saito looks back down at his hand trying to think of somthing the body has two of.

Seth smirk, "To be honest we aren't entirely sure, his rune is on his chest but it is right over his heart, when he used to be with us we'd joke with him and call him the left breast of God, but in all honesty he could be the heart. His skills are like all of ours combined but to a lesser extent, I guess as a way of balancing us all out."

Guiche looks at his wand and then at Saito's sword, "When you say skills what do you mean, like magic types?"

Seth looks at Guiche and gets kind of a uncertain look on his face, "uhhh well.......Not magic per-say, like Saito's skills are with all weapons meant for fighting, he has increase endurance, speed, strength, and even better tactical reasoning when he is using his powers. That's what I meant by skills. Me being the left arm of god, I have much more strength than Saito but I'm not as quick and I don't have that handy weapon power he does. I also have some magic skill but mine is kinda like.....Saito its like manga right, you know energy blasts?"

Saito gets a kind of an excited look on his face at the sound of some one using a Hadoken or a Kameha blast.

"Its more magic based but I can release it from my hand instead of a wand like Louise and other mages. If you couldn't tell from the last time you saw Airo move his skills are more movement based, he can run much faster than Saito and a lot faster than me, and he can jump higher, and make his steps soundless. He would be an ultimate assassin should he want to be. Zion's is strange because they don't really seem to match up."

The group look over to where Zion was and now he is sitting right next to Tabitha reading her book at the same time as her, she still doesn't seem to care but Louise notices that her face is a little flush.

Seth looks very confused, "Uh, he is a very talented mage if the highest class of mage is a square which is four lines he would be a hexagon, a six lined mage. He has the normal four class magic, wind, fire, earth, and water, then he also has what I would guess is Elven magic and a magic that only he has which is very hard for me to explain and he seems a little busy over there so that is that."

Saito crosses his eyes and look up at the academy, "So Kai has all our abilitys but not as powerful, I don't know if that sound like balance or over kill."

"Well that's just the way it is, he is the center of our powers so I guess it makes sense that he would have a bit of everything."

Airo stands up and walk over to Seth and kneels down right behind him, "Our partners,"

Seth face goes white as a ghost and he turns his head to Airo and nods, "Yeah, you better hurry or we'll be one less than we are now, she'll kill me."

"Who will kill you?"

Seth's face begins to regain some of its color, "my wife......"

Louise looks at him, "You have a wife!?"

Seth's expression changes from fear to confused, "Yeah, me and Airo both are married, to our mages. Aren't you and Saito married yet?"

"M-M-M-M-M married to Saito?"

"Yeah once we find or are summoned by our mage we usually fall in love with them, don't you two love each other?" Seth raises his eye brows in a suggestive way that makes Louise blush again and Saito begins nervously laughing."

_ we almost were married before the ceremony was complete I gave Louise that sleeping potion, we never finished. I also tell her that I love her but it rarely goes further than that thanks to all the random stuff that always happens to me._

Seth looks kinda disappointed, "I see, that's.....too bad."

Louise fights back her embarrassment, "S-So you where s-summoned too then?"

Seth demeanor changes, "Yeah since I'm from earth like Saito, though not the same place, I was summoned by my mage, Rain."

Guiche stands up in the middle of Seth explaining and dusts himself off, "So how old are you?"

Seth smiles, "I'm eighteen, Airo is eighteen, and Zion is sixteen. Are you leaving now Guiche?"

Guiche pulls out his rose stem wand and breathes in, " Yes, I should see how my beautiful Montmorency is."

Saito smiles and looks up at Guiche, "Sure you are."

Seth looks at Saito and then Louise, "Well I think I should probably get to work, before I get killed."

Seth gets up and walks over to Zion, and strangely enough still, Tabitha.

"What is it Seth?"

"We should probably set up camp outside of the academy before the wives get here other wise you will have to find your 'one' on your own."

Zion shrugs and points at Tabitha, "Maybe I did."

Seth looks down at Tabitha and she looks up at him, "Hello."

Seth smiles, "Hi, nice to meet you."

Seth puts his arm around Zion and walks away with him quietly whispering about his great taste.

Louise and Saito both get up and for the first time in a long time they walk back into the academy, without fighting.

Saito looks back at Seth and Zion walking away.

_Seth never said why he's even here!_


	2. Chapter 2

Camp Fire

A few hours later Saito is sent out to do laundry for Louise and while he is scrubbing he notices a faint glow coming from outside of the academy. He leaves the clothing and follows the glow and finds himself standing outside of a small camp.

Three tents are set up around a fire and a log has been retrieved from the forest for something to sit on.

"Halt!" Saito jumps and spins around to find a girl with a wand pointed directly at his face, though he quickly notices something else just below the neck.

"Wait Rain, don't attack him that's God's left hand you are threatening," Seth quickly comes running out of one of the tents and stands between Saito and Rain, "please put your wand down babe."

Rain turns her attention from Saito to Seth, "I told you I hate being called that, what does that even mean!?"

Rain's wand realeases an electric stream and it hits Seth in the elbow causing a reflex and Seth strikes himself in the nose. Seth falls to the ground as his powerful fist has just been used against him.

"Ow! Dang it ba.....how do you know exactly where to shock me for that to happen?" Seth slowly gets back up and gingerly grabs his nose and in an awkward voice introduces Saito to his wife.

"This is my significant other, her name if you didn't catch it the first time, is Rain."

Saito reaches out his hand and waits for her to reciprocate the action but she doesn't making him nervously laugh, "So you are Seth's wife huh, that's nice," Saito tries to keep his eyes on hers but he keeps sneaking peaks down at Rain's chest.

"What is going on out there?" Another female voice calls out from one of the tents.

Seth lets go of his nose, "Airo, you and Hina come out here, Saito is here."

Airo first exits the tent and though Saito didn't really notice before but, Airo's hair is the same color as an olive. Airo is followed by a girl a little less well endowed as Rain, and her hair is a turquoise color, which is a new one for Saito again.

Seth gives Saito a light shove toward Airo and Hina, "Saito that is Airo's wife Hina, she talks more than him but you'd never know because he hardly talks in the first place."

The thought of someone talking more than someone who doesn't talk at all seems a little obvious to him but Saito still introduces himself, this time not extending his hand to her to avoid the awkward situation playing out again.

Saito looks around the camp and notices something is missing, "Where's Zion, you have three tents but he doesn't seem to be around?"

Seth looks at Airo and gets a shrug as a response, "I guess we don't know where he is."

"Hm, well I hope he doesn't do anything to upset one of the girls here, they are all quite dangerous if you rub them the wrong way." Saito's personal experience now giving him at least some insight into the possible danger at the Tristain Magic Academy.

Rain finally puts her wand back into her pocket, "Well I guess he can take care of himself, he doesn't need a baby sitter. He is the left eye of God after all."

Rain sits down on the log and warms her hands by the fire, Seth and rest join her around the fire. A long silence follows only interrupted by the random cracks from the fire.

Saito looks at the two couples, none of them seem to show any feelings for their other until a very subtle movement from Seth when he takes Rain's hand into his and begins to rub his thumb softly on her hand.

Seth looks up from the fire, "uh, Saito, I'm sorry about earlier today, I kinda put you in a tough spot."

Saito thinks about what happened and he quickly dismisses it, "It's fine no one was hurt, you don't need to worry about it."

Seth smiles at the thought, "I wasn't talking about the fighting," Saito clearly doesn't understand what Seth is talking about by the blank expression on his face, "when I asked if you and Louise where married yet, I could've sworn you would be by now."

Saito quickly tries to think of something to say but only, "it's okay," comes out of his mouth.

Rain looks at Seth and then at Saito, "You and your mage aren't married?" She looks back down at the fire, "Don't you love each other," Saito finally sees the love as Rain looks up at Seth and their eyes meet, "I'm sorry please you don't have to answer that."

Saito smiles and looks back down at the fire, "We where going to be married but I tricked her and made her fall asleep so that I could save her from losing her life. Funny enough I did."

Airo looks up at him and without saying a single word his confusion is obvious.

"I died on the battle field fighting an army all by myself. I was brought back to life by an elf that now lives here at the academy. It seems so long ago." Saito looks back up from the fire and finds that Hina has fallen asleep and is leaning against Airo, "So you both where summoned and then married your summoner?"

Airo's silence doesn't say much to Saito this time so Seth chimes in, "I already told you I'm from america so, yes I was summoned and then a little later me and Rain married each other." Seth looks over at Airo and smirks, "If you don't talk more you'll lose your voice completely."

Airo smiles and shakes his head, "I wasn't summoned. I live in this world. I found Hina and then I got my runes and married her shortly after."

"Must be nice,"

Saito almost completely forgot his original question, "Seth why are you here?"

Rain looks sternly at Seth, "I thought you already told him everything."

With a small sense of urgency Seth takes a sudden breath, "Saito there is something we need you to help us with."

"What is it?"

Seth urgency fades but he still looks serious, "There is trouble in the northern part of Germania, and we need all of the Holy Knights to fight it." Seth looks a little disappointed, "we could use the help of the Void Mage Louise too, but if you two aren't......"

Saito stands up as he has become a little annoyed, "What, because we aren't married, why is that such a big deal, you want the truth, here it is, I've told her I love her many times and she has never once said it back its as if she doesn't......."

Saito stops in middle of his sentence, he is looking in the direction of the school. Seth and Rain turn around, Louise is standing only a few feet from the camp.

"Sai...to.."

Saito turns and walks away from the camp into the forest leaving Louise and the rest in silence. Louise falls to her knees and begins to sob. Rain goes over to her and sits beside her as her crying gets worse.

Rain looks at Seth, he nods and heads into the forest after Saito. Rain takes Louise's hand and brings her over to the fire while Airo lifts Hina up and takes her to their tent.

Through heavy sobs Rain can hear Louise calling Saito an idiot.

Seth finally catches up with Saito in a small clearing with a stump in the middle where Saito is sitting.

"Saito what are you doing?"

"What does it look like I am doing what she wants me to do, I'm gonna just go away."

Seth gets closer to Saito like he is sneaking up on an animal, "What makes you think that she wants this, just cause she's never said a word that is only four letters long?" Saito covers his face with his hands, "Come on we should go back, I don't like spending time in a forest at night with no fire."

His voice is muffled because of his hands, "You can go back," his answer isn't what Seth was looking for as he becomes a little mad.

"Saito, listen to me, Rain doesn't tell me that she loves me either, she just does."

"You two are married..."

"Like you said before if the circumstances were different you and her would be too."

"She wanted to get married before she died, I was the only one around at the time..."

Seth runs his hand through his hair, "Saito I don't have much patience and understanding for what is happening right now, just come with me. If you two talk you might actually end up getting married."

"She is so untrusting, she is always angry at me, she bosses me around,-"

For every bad quality Seth counters with a reason why someone in love would be like that, "She worries about you, jealousy is a sign of love, she loves you, see dumb ass ."

Saito stops when Seth says "she loves you," he takes a deep breath and stands up and looks Seth in the eyes, "How would you know."

"I just do..." Seth slams his fist into Saito's stomach knocking him out cold. "Saito I told you I have very little patience for this kind of thing, the Knights need you and your partner." Seth picks up Saito and drapes him over his should and heads back to camp.

When he arrives Louise is no where to be found, "What happened to Louise?"

Rain smiles up at him, "I used magic to put her into a pleasant sleep. I see you did something similar?"

"Babe you know my skills are in force not subtlety, I ahhh........punched him in the stomach and forced him into a......deep, sleep." Rain points to the tent Zion would be using if he was around and Seth takes Saito in.

Louise is already in the tent under a blanket sleeping soundly. He puts Saito down next to her and then rolls him onto his side so that he is holding her, "Let's see if you screw this up."

After Seth leaves the tent him and Rain make their way into their tent.

_Dang I didn't get to finish asking Saito for his help!_


	3. Chapter 3

Welcome to the War

Louise opens her eyes and looks around, she is inside a tent as the night before begins to slowly come back to her. "That girl, Rain she used a sleeping spell on me," she gets up and exits the tent. Saito and Seth are both outside arguing about something.

"You really should ask first," Seth keeps repeating to Saito but the response is barely audible, so quiet that Louise can't hear it. Seth just shrugs and finishes packing his things up into a backpack.

Louise prepares to start yelling at Saito but as he turns around she stops herself and just stays quiet. Saito is facing towards her but his eyes aren't looking at her but through her, he walks up to her and then slips around her into the tent. Before she can turn around he is already back out of the tent now with Derflinger in his hand, and walks by her again.

His complete ignorance of her forces her to speak, "Saito where are you going?"

".........."

At first she is confused at the complete lack of an answer, it's almost like he didn't hear her, but at such a close distance that would seem impossible, "Saito, where do you _think _you are going!?" This time she made sure that everyone could hear her, whether to embarrass Saito or to make sure he heard it, even she didn't know.

Saito takes a slow pace as he turns around and walks to her until he is a few feet from her, "I'm leaving, you obviously don't care."

Louise is shocked by his cold answer but instead of trying to tell him the truth about how she feels she blows up at him, "Fine Leave See If I Care!"

Saito turns and with Seth and the rest of the knights begin to walk off into the forest. Louise doesn't try to stop him at first but quickly runs after him, "Saito wait!"

Saito turns and looks her dead in the eyes with a look of complete indifference, "Yes, what do you want?"

She closes her fists together and squeezes as hard as she can, "Please don't go, I'd be lonely without you, to protect me."

"There is only one thing you could say that would make me change my mind, though if you said it now I don't think I'd believe you."

The words that he wants her to say, she can't bring herself to say them. She hates herself for not having said them earlier and tries her best to say them now, "S-s-s-s-s," she takes a deep, deep breathe, "SAITO I LOVE YOU!!!" The words shock her almost more than they shock Saito.

Saito looks into her eyes searching for something and then shakes his head and smiles, "You are lying Louise," Saito turns back around and walks away leaving Louise in the middle of the abandoned camp.

"Saito.......Saito!.......SAITO!!!!!"

Her eyes suddenly open, and she looks around, she is inside a tent a cold sweat on her brow from her dream, no, her nightmare. She tries to calm down but she can't seem to catch her breath. She almost gets up but she feels something on her skin, air, breath. She looks over and finds Saito fast asleep with his face tuck in between her shoulder and neck. His arm reaching across her exposed midriff. She almost freaks out but she quickly thinks back on the night and how Saito had left.

_He must have came back after I was asleep that girl Rain must have put me into one of her nightgowns_

She lifts the blankets at bit to see what the gown looks like and instantly puts it back down, under her breathe she begins to curse Rain, "its not a nightgown, its a short sleeve shirt with no bottoms, I'm just in my panties!"

Saito's hand suddenly flinches and Louise looks back at his face and his face now has a worried expression. Louise looks around to make sure no one can see into the tent. After passing her inspection she sits up and gently puts Saito's head in her lap. Once again she looks around the tent and after another passing examination she begins to run her hand through his hair until he calms down.

Meanwhile outside Seth and Rain are having a celebratory hug as they both have sneaked peeks into the tent, unnoticed and have found Louise actually caring for Saito.

"Wow I didn't think that would work babe," Seth receives a stern slap in the back of the head, "Sorry I forgot."

She quickly goes from happy, to angry, and back to happy, "I told you it would work, Saito is madly in love with her and she is just as in love with him, but you know we can't do that for them ever again."

Seth stops smiling and sits back down, "You're right, we might seriously mess some things up if we keep interfering.

Something suddenly seems very wrong, Seth looks around trying to figure out where his gauntlets are, "Rain...."

"The tent love..."

Seth quickly dives into his tent and out the other side as Rain runs around it and with Seth into the forest. Seth quickly pulls his weapons onto his hands as they keep running until they reach the clearing that Saito was at the night before.

"Rain...." His voice has expressed more words than he can at the moment.

"I know, me too."

A blonde emerges from behind a tree, "isn't that sweet, without actually saying you love each other you let your voices do it since you don't have much longer to live."

"We have dealt with your kind before." Seth chants something under his breath and his rune begins to glow on his arm, "Prepare yourself!"

Seth charges at the man and brings his full power down but the attack is dodged quite easily. As the man is backing away he pulls a knife out of a pouch at his side and throws it at Seth who is still committed to the punch. The blade cuts open his shoulder just wide of his neck as it whizzes past Seth. Seth doesn't let the cut change his attack route as he chases after the man and tries to connect again this time just grazing the mans side.

After the half dodged attack the man cringes in pain as a short but powerful shock runs through him.

Seth charges again this time feinting his punch and following up with a kick that lands flush with the blondes face making him spin around. Before he can get his barring Seth is already on him and connects with a straight right and and crossing left, each blow sending more electricity through the man.

"This is over!" Seth brings his left arm back and swings forward his runes glowing slightly brighter than before. The man suddenly uses wind magic to push himself to the side and catches Seth's arm between his arm and side. With a quick movement the man wrenches Seth's arm out of the socket and then slams his knee into Seth's left elbow hyperextending the arm severely.

Seth lets out an agonizing sound as he falls to his knees his left arm turned awkwardly and limp at his side

The blonde man kicks Seth right in the chest and knocks him flat on his back, "he'll be please that someone as low a level as me has killed you."

Seth squirms so he can look up at the man, "wouldn't count on it." Seth quickly sits up and captures the mans right leg. "Rain!"

The blonde turns his head to see that Rain has been condensing air the whole time that he's been fighting Seth.

"Fly!" The condensed air whips at the man taking the visible shade of a spear head in the dew of the early morning and hits the man right in the heart and pierces through his back. Seth lets go of his leg and crawls away from the now dead, but still bleeding body.

"Rain, I need Zion." Rain helps Seth back to his feet and places a kiss on his lips as they share a moment.

"That shouldn't have happened Seth. You should've played it safe until I had finished my magic." Her voice is angry, concerned, and loving all at the same time.

"I didn't want to make you have to kill someone."

His answer doesn't fuel the argument any further and Rain and Seth slowly make their way back to the camp. As they are getting closer they hear arguing followed by a ground shaking explosion. Rain runs ahead of Seth to find out what's wrong but before she makes it to camp she is stopped by Hina and Airo.

"You guys what is going on," Airo shrugs and Hina shakes her head, the only sound is Louise's voice, openly berating Saito.

Seth slowly makes it up to the three of them and just keeps walking, "Airo watch this..."

He slowly limps into the camp and walks right in between Saito and Louise and after a for more steps he falls to the ground.

Louise screams as the dust settles around Seth fallen body and Saito quickly runs over to him and turns him over, "What happened to you!?"

"Find Zion......." Seth passes out much to Airo's amazement but Airo didn't notice that there is a lot of blood coming out of a deep knife wound just above his collar bone. Saito puts Seth back down and runs towards the school with Louise close behind him.

Airo walks over to Seth to congratulate him on his ability to make the fighting stop when he notices the severity of the wounds. Airo quickly taps into his power and almost vanishes completely due to his amazing speed.

In a matter of minutes Airo has returned with Zion and he immediately begins to work on Seth's wounds.

Saito and Louise both return a little while later both still very worried about Seth. After bandaging all his wounds and setting his arm back into place Zion stands up and and gets some of the ash from the previous nights fire and draws an arcane symbol on Seth elbow.

Louise looks leans over towards Hina, "Why did he draw that symbol on Seth's elbow?"

Hina moves one of her bangs out of her eyes, "The symbol is a way for Zion to target a specific area easier, the symbol he is using right now seems to be the best for healing wounds, I've seen that one many times."

Zion's eyes stop glowing and he takes a sudden surprised breath, "He should be fine in a couple of hours."

Rain takes a deep relieved breath, "Well that's good, wait a minute......Zion where were you?"

"Ah, I was with Tabitha," Zion's face turns red.

Saito asks the very obvious question, "So you like Tabitha huh?" Louise gives Saito a very stern look.

Zion smiles, "Yes, she is a very interesting person."

Rain puts her hand on Zion's shoulder and smiles, "Well good for you." Rain turns to Saito and Louise, "Since it's pretty obvious Seth will never get around to it I'm gonna tell you guys why we are here. You two already know that we need your help and since you saw what shape Seth is in that this is a very serious problem. There is some man who has gone far out of his way to not be noticed. He has sent a few of his minions after me and the others. Thanks to certain powers of persuasion we have learned a few things about this guy. We haven't figured out what his name is but at least we know where he is based. There is a castle on a peninsula in northern Germania.

"So why haven't the Holy Knights gotten some help from a king or queen, I'm sure Louise can get the Queen of Tristain to help." Louise nods in agreement.

Rain shakes her head is disagreement, "That is not how we try to do things. We try to prevent things from happening before it could cause a war. Think about it if the queen of this country knew about someone sending soldiers into another country it could be a war on our hands."

Though Saito agrees with what they are saying he knows the difficulties of taking on an army, "Guys we really should go see Henrietta, I've already died once, I don't really want to chance it again."

"We can't do that," Seth slowly emerges from a tent, "We can't let Henrietta know about this. We can't let a war happen."

Saito stands up, "But what are we gonna do then, they will have hundreds of soldiers."

Seth smiles, "actually he keeps exactly one hundred soldiers. It may seem strange but this guy, is very strange, every soldier is ranked. I'd have to say that the guy me and Rain just fought, was probably number seventy."

Louise looks very surprised, "wow he must have been really trying to kill you for a long time, seventy is a really high number, if you where alone he may have even killed you."

Seth looks down at the ground as if he's ashamed, "Seventy is low, the numbers are reversed, the lower the number the more powerful. That guy could only use one kind of magic."

"So he has one hundred soldiers and number seventy was tough for you to handle?"

"Saito no one said this was going to be easy, we wouldn't have came looking for you if that was the case."

Saito looks back at Louise and then looks at everyone else in the group thinking deeply on what is the best course of action, "Alright, I'll come with you, you're coming too right Louise."

"Of course, as a noble of Tristain it would be shameful of me to not do my part to help." Louise puts her hands on her hips and looks at Saito as if he should already know that by now.

Seth takes a deep breath and heads back other to his tent, "Well that's good, I don't think we'll leave until I'm a little better so, don't rush yourselves okay?"

Saito and Louise both nod and head back to the academy.

"Well Rain we got the last piece of the puzzle now we just need to wait a couple more days."


	4. Chapter 4

Answers in the Library

Seth wakes up in the middle of the night not entirely sure what day it is. As he sits up he carefully moves Rain's arm that was resting across his chest. Before he gets up he tests how well his arm is and is very pleased to see Zion's magic had completely healed him in a very short time. He stands up and throws a light coat on from inside his backpack.

"Geeze why did Saito and Louise have to get summoned by the queen........"

The camp is dead except for the sound of crickets and the cracking of the dying embers in the fire.

_I guess now would be as good a time as any_

Seth starts walking towards the academy as he passes by the great walls that protect the outer grounds he he finds himself face to face with a large sky dragon.

He dragon takes a sudden interest in him as he quietly tries to get the great beast back to sleep. He slowly starts to back away from the dragon, "Easy, I'm not here to do anything bad just go back to sleep." To his great surprise the dragon seems to understand or perhaps just not care and lays its head back down in the grass and drifts back into sleep. Seth lets out a deep sigh.

"It's late..."

Seth jumps and stumbles away from the voice behind him and quickly turns, a suddenly bead of sweat on his brow. As he is quickly trying to get his composure back he notices that person is the light blue haired girl that Zion had been hanging out with so much lately.

"Oh thank god, its only you." Seth keeps breathing heavily as he still hasn't gotten his wind back."

With a quick inspection as he rising from his crouched down position Seth notices that she isn't wearing her cape just the skirt and collared white shirt with her large magic staff.

"What are you doing here?" Her sentence length is astounding considering how she normally talked.

"The library is opened again. Before I leave I'd like to do some quick research." The sound of The Library seems to peak her interest as she turns and leads Seth to the girls bath room where the entrance is located. "Geeze no wonder people couldn't find it, what a crazy place to put the entrance."

After a minute a small incantation the wall they are standing in front of opens and they begin to walk into the darkness of the tunnel.

_It's bad enough I got caught but this girl seems to be very secretive, she's hardly said a thing_

"So uh, I don't even know your name, my name is Seth."

"Tabitha,"

"So you are a wind mage right?"

"Yes,"

_grrrrrr......._ "So you've been down here before?"

"Yes,"

_grrrrrrrrrrrrr........ _"So Zion seems to have take quite a shine to you."

There is a slight hesitation in her step but beyond that just another simple, "Yes."

"You are him seem to have grown rather chummy since we've arrived."

"We read,"

"That's it?"

"That's it....."

_This doesn't seem to be getting me anywhere, maybe I shouldn't keep pushing the issue, we could use a wind mage with us though. Zion told me that he likes her, what could it hurt_

"You two make a good couple, after all you are both into books." This time Tabitha doesn't respond, his best guess is because it didn't end with a question. "Do you like him too?"

Tabitha stops and turns to Seth who almost walks into her, "Why do you keep asking me questions?"

"I'm sorry I just wanted to make conversation, it's what people do where I'm from to avoid awkward situations, I didn't mean to offend you." Tabitha looks up at Seth and sees that he genuinely sorry.

"It's okay."

She turns and keeps walking while Seth waits for her to get a decent distance from him.

_Shit......_

After a few more minutes they reach a large opening in a cave with a building in the middle.

"Is that it?"

"Yes, no magic use inside of it though, or it will close." Seth nods and they continue into the building.

As they enter the building, though in a cave, is well lit just bright enough to be able to comfortably see.

"Tabitha, I didn't ask because it's none of my business but why did you help me?"

"Zion told me you where gonna do this and he asked me to help you." She begins to look around looking at titles on the books.

All the books are well over a hundred years old and the deeper into the library the old they get. Tabitha and Seth both reach the farthest back part of the library and among all the books there are three tall wooden cases with glass tops in the middle of the room. Seth walks towards them as if draw by them` . He looks into the first case, a simple leather bound book is inside, the condition looks close to brand new. Tabitha goes and looks into the second case and finds a wand with a ceramic hand holding it. Seth continues to stare at the book inside the first case so Tabitha goes to the third case and before reaching it hears the sound of cracking glass under her feet. She bends down and picks up one of the shards and then looks at the third case, the inside of it is a hole.

"Seth,"

He seems to snap out of his stupor and walks over to her, "What is it?" He looks down at the broken case, "What the?"

Seth looks at Tabitha, "What do you think was in this case?"

"A sword,"

Seth looks at the case and there are indents around the hole in the shape of a sword guard and the hole itself seems to be about the perfect size to fit a sword. Seth reaches into the hole and feels the inside of it, the same material as the inside of a scarab.

"I wonder where it is now?"

"It is still near, the broken glass has no dust on it like the rest of the library."

The echo of clapping surrounds Seth and Tabitha, "Well done."

The owner of the voice drops down in front of Tabitha and looks her up and down.

"Who are you?"

"My name is Griffin, I came down here to get this sword, and now that I have it I'll be leaving, I bid you both a fond farewell." He spins around and begins to walk away his heavy cloak flowing with his movements.

"Tabitha, please retrieve those other two things for me, if they are important enough for that guy to take I'd kinda like to know why." She turns back to the cases and Seth quickly sprints off after Griffin. The longer he runs the more he begins to become worried as he hasn't caught up with Griffin in the least. Seth reaches the opening to the passageway and has to catch his breath but he sees the cloak just leaving the room.

"Shit he's toying with me!?" Seth sprints after him again this time catching him just on the steps exiting the building that houses the students, "Wait Griffin,"

The man stops and turns around, as he does Seth stops running and puts his hands behind his head to catch his breath quickly.

"Yes?"

"What do you want, why'd you take that sword."

"So I could use it of course." The man removes the hood of the cloak to reveal a teenager with short brown hair, "would there be any other questions for me?"

"Why is that sword so important?"

"It's special, would you like to see?"

"What..."

Before he has a chance to dodge Griffin swings the blade and the blunt side crashes into Seth's side slamming him against the brick wall of the building.

"See, special."

As Griffin turns he is struck in the face and almost simultaneously hit in the back. Griffin falls to his knees and swings the sword this time blade out and it creates a blast of wind.

The blast pushes Seth's unconscious body more against the wall and also makes Griffin's unknown attack skid backwards against the wind.

Airo looks ahead at Griffin who to him is simply the man that may have just killed Seth. Airo charges at Griffin and jumps over a horizontal swing of the sword and connects with his fist as he flips over him. Griffin instead of swinging his sword does a back kick and catches Airo square in the jaw knocking him into the stone steps of the building. Airo gets up and jumps out of the way just as Griffin brings the blunt end of the blade down upon the steps smashing them into stone fragments. Airo runs in at Griffin and gets close enough that he can't use the sword and slams his fist into his stomach and follows the attack up with a knee to the gut. As Griffin falls he plants his hand and charges forward like a football player knocking Airo head over heels as his shoulders crash into Airo's lower legs.

"You are pretty fast."

Airo kips up, "you haven't seen me being fast yet," Airo's rune begins to glow and he seemingly disappears.

Griffin suddenly is struck from four different directions almost at the same time. He falls to the ground again and gets up almost as fast as he is put back down with a powerful strike into the center of his chest. Griffin stabs the blade in the ground and quickly pulls it out causing a tremor in the immediate area that sends Airo into the air.

Griffin quickly jumps up and brings the blunt end of the blade down onto Airo's gut launching him back down to the ground at suicidal speeds. Airo hits the ground so hard that his body bounces and continues to skid and crash against the ground for a few more yards.

Griffin lands on the ground and takes a moment to inspect his handy work. "Well I guess that's it then, time to be leaving."

He turns around and is instantly forced against a wall he can't see his attackers face just his platinum hair.

Zion tightens the grip on the man's collar, "Why did you do this!?"

"I was just using my new sword."

Zion spins and throws Griffin over his shoulder down back first to the ground.

"This will end here then!" Zion's left eye begins to glow and in a sudden desperation attack, Griffin swings his blade up catching Zion's face.

Zion spins around and falls to his knees holding his face as blood begins to seep out from under his hands.

Griffin gets up and looks mortified as Tabitha reaches the building opening and finds the three downed warriors. He quickly spins and runs away before Tabitha can finish he ice spear spell.

Tabitha puts down the two artifacts that she brought back from the library and runs over to Zion who is now standing again with blood running down the left side of his face.

"Zion are you okay?"

Zion turns to Tabitha a cut about an inch above his eyebrow running down over his eye and stopping in the middle of his cheek bleeding profusely, "Yeah, I think I'm okay, I can't open my eye though."

Professor Colbert comes out of the building followed by Guiche and Kirche. He quickly looks over the situation and turns to Kirche, "go help that boy over by the wall, Guiche go and get that one over there."

They both nod and head over to help Seth and Airo.

Colbert runs over to Tabitha and Zion, "Tabitha please go get these boys friends okay."

Tabitha nods and runs towards the camp.

Zion turns to Colbert, "How did you know about Rain and Hina?"

"Its not like you where trying very hard to hide form us." Colbert leads Zion into back to the main building with Guiche carrying Airo on his back and Kirche using her salamander familiar Scorch to carry Seth.

Zion's vision is completely blurred from the blood that has gotten into both of his eyes so he can't tell where he is being lead but the next thing he knows he is sitting down on a table and Colbert is dabbing a rag around his cut so he can better inspect it.

"How bad is it?"

Colbert face is serious, "it is better than I originally thought the cut seems to have just barely missed your eye ball but you'll have a scar for the rest of your life, I just hope it isn't infected."

A sudden gaging sound emits from Seth and he turns over on his side and throws up, a majority of it being blood..

"Kirche, Guiche go wake the head master, this might be beyond my skill."

"Yes," Kirche quickly exits the room and runs off out of sight.

Another painful gag followed by the sound of Seth throwing up, through cause he manages a "What the hell," and puts his head back down.

"You there stop moving around so much I think you might have an internal injury so you need to hold as still as you can."

"It hurts to breathe....."

"You'll be okay just try to stay awake and conserve your energy.

The door opens up, "thank goodness you are hear the one on the floor seems to have internal injuries and I haven't even had time to check the other boy yet.

"............."

Colbert looks up and Rain, Tabitha, and Hina are in the door way, "I'm sorry but you'll have to wait outside there is only so much room in here.

Rain and Hina both exit the room very calmly and Tabitha closes it behind them.

As Tabitha turns from closing the door she looks at Rain and Hina who are both sitting on the floor against the wall holding each other crying. Tabitha kneels down in front of them and embraces them both.

Colbert gives Zion a damp rag, "Keep this over your eye and apply a little bit of pressure." Colbert quickly turns to Airo who is still unconscious and almost immediately notices that his knee is dislocated as well as his right shoulder from the arm.

As Colbert sets Airo's arm back into place the headmaster finally arrives, "Ah, thank goodness you are here, that boy on the ground needs your help as soon as you can.

With a flick of his wrist his trusty wand was in his hand and a bright blue aura surrounds Seth's body and lifts him until he is straight up and levitating over the floor. Old man Osmond makes a crossing motion with his wand that seems to affect Seth as he lets out a pain filled noise that quickly escalates into a loud scream.

In the hall the sound makes Rain begin to shake as she begins to cry even harder than before making Tabitha and Hina hold onto her tighter.

Inside the room the blue aura is now flowing all over the room and has begun to wrap around Airo and Zion. The aura lifts them slightly as well and Seth seems to have passed back out from whatever is happening.

Colbert turns to Osmond and finds that he is in fact deep in a meditative state while standing.

The light suddenly dies and Seth falls to the floor slumped over while Zion lands back on his feet and Airo gently rests on the table.

Osmond opens his eyes and falls back into a chair and starts taking deep heavy breathes, "That probably wouldn't have been so hard on me if I'd quit smoking.

Seth takes in a deep coughing gasp as if he hasn't breathed air before in his entire life. "What _hack_, happened?!"

Colbert smiles, "Our headmaster just healed all of you at one time."

Zion turns around and looks at Seth then puts his hand up to his eye, "it closed?"

Colbert looks at his eye and finds nothing wrong with it, "other than the scar there is no sign of damage to you at all," he turns back to Seth, "you and your other friend should have no visible signs because you had internal injuries."

Seth can't believe how cheery someone can be when they say the words 'internal injuries.'

The door opens and old Osmond and Professor Colbert exit first and start walking down the hall. Seth is the first person to walk out of the room, "Hey Rain, I think I'm gonna need a new shirt this one is completely destroyed in the spot I got hit...." Before he can say anything else he is slammed against the wall behind him and he slips and falls with his crying attacker.

His voice lowers to a whisper, "Rain....."

She is still crying as she wraps her arms around him calling him the worst of names under her breath.

The only thing he can say is her name again as he rests his head against her and holds her.

Hina runs into the room after Zion exits and finds Airo pleasantly sleeping on a table his shirt covered in holes from his collision with the ground and the sword strike.

Zion looks back into the room as Hina runs past and then over to Rain and Seth slumpded over on the floor Rain a crying mess and Seth........just a mess. Zion then looks over at Tabitha who's facing the wall as she doesn't want to show her face. Zion walks across the hall and drapes his arms over her and rests his cheek on top of her head. She turns around and her face is all red and lines of water left by tears are still present on her cheeks.

"Baka........"

Some ten miles away Griffin is sitting on a rock staring at his newly acquired sword that is resting against a tree a few feet away.

"What happened......."


	5. Chapter 5

Kai Camp

The group continues to follow the path they have been traveling to the west trying to find Kai Tutor.

Rain looks at the faces of everyone in the group. Everyone except Haimere looks to have already been defeated. Hina and Airo have both been quieter than usual, Saito though not as depressed as before seems to find Haimere's presence draining, and Zion and Tabitha both are both have sullen looks on their faces.

_'We need Seth, how am I gonna get Haimere to go back into the book'_

Zion stops walking and signals for everyone to stop. He begins to look to both side of the road, the trees and shrubbery have made the area outside of the road almost impossible to see, "Who there!?"

Arrows begin to fly past the group in front of and behind with ropes attached to them. In a very short moment they are completely blocked from proceeding or retreating.

"Who dares enter my forest?" A man completely covered in knight armor emerges from behind a tree and walks up to the group. "Rain?" The armored man lifts the visor on his helmet and a familiar face is revealed.

"Kai?" Rain walks up to the border caused by the ropes, "Kai is that you?"

The man removes his helmet to reveal an unkept head of blonde hair and soft blue eyes. Kai lifts his hand and slices down. A group of lightly armored soldiers come out form hiding and remove the arrows, "It's good to see you Rain, where is that moron husband of yours?"

"It's a long story...."

* * *

The group is lead back to Kai's camp and Rain begins to tell the long and rather painful story of how the Holy Knights had gone to Tristain to get Saito and Louise. Then Zion married Tabitha, followed not long after but Louise's kidnapping. The story quickly goes from bad to worse.

Kai stands up, "I'm sorry to here that. Haimere it seems that you are on borrowed time. Though I must say that you are a much better sight that the foolish earth person."

Rain shakes her head and glares at Kai, "When will you accept Seth? He hasn't done anything to you."

Kai crosses his arms and looks down at Rain with a general disgust written on his face, "I will not accept him because he unlock Airo, hasn't learned his place. He never showed any respect to the nobles since he arrived in this world."

"That is no reason to hate him."

"I never actually said that I hated him."

Haimere stands up and walks away from the group.

Zion gets up and walks over to Kai, "I think I'm gonna start setting up our camp, is it alright for us to set up in this camp?"

Kai nods, "Yes, of course you can, and don't worry about any enemies, I have guards posted at all times."

Zion does a slight a bow, "Thank you Kai."

The group gets up and follows Zion to the open square in the middle of the camp.

Rain walks up to Zion and starts setting up her tent and under her breath whispers, "You feel that?"

Zion keeps working on his tent but discreetly look across the camp, "This doesn't feel good." He turns around and digs into his pack using it as an opportunity to look around the rest of the camp, "I can't see anything abnormal, but I feel like we shouldn't stay long."

Rain nods and finishes putting up her tent, "We'll ask Kai to join us in the morning and then we'll leave."

He nods and continues into his tent a muffled, "Good night."

* * *

Haimere looks up at the moon as a single tear falls from his eye, "Luna, how I miss you." As the tear falls from his chin it disappears. He continue to walk through the woods he notices a dying blue and white flower, "her favorite." He bends down a slowly moves his hand over the flower and it slowly comes back to life, "If it were only so easy."

"Maybe if you weren't such a failure then you could have brought her back to life. Now it is just too late." A man in black armor similar to Haimere's is sitting under a dead tree, "It has been a very long time Haimere."

Haimere squints and the figure begins to become visible, "Black hair, green eyes, don't tell you have a burn scar on your right arm."

"Yes Haimere, it is me, Ryu, the void dragon." Ryu's eyes seems to glow in the low light of the moon.

Haimere steps back and shakes his head, "No I defeated you already, you are dead."

Ryu pulls out a small dagger with a dragon for the handle, "You aren't the only one who had the knowledge of soul sealing. Even my little brother Griffin knew the technique and it is my understanding that he did in fact use it to seal himself in his favorite sword."

Haimere keeps his eyes on Ryu, "Yes, I had my partner put his sword with my book and wand."

Ryu raises his eye brow and crosses his arms, "Yes and now some lowly thief has his soul inside of him, not that I truly care what happens to poor little brother."

"I'm surprised, that you even call him little brother after what you caused all those years ago."

Ryu smiles, "I'm not the one who killed _our_ little brother."

Haimere lunges at Ryu and grabs him by the collar of his shirt, "Don't you dare place the blame on me, I wasn't the one who filled Griffin's head with lies about our mission. Tell me Ryu when did you start referring to me as brother again?"

Ryu reaches behind his back and pulls out a long broad sword with a katana design. Haimere crosses his hands and a beam of light begins to grow between them until it fades and a blade has formed.

"Well brother, are you prepared?"

* * *

Rain opens her eyes, to the sound of people outside trying to walk quietly. "An ambush....."


	6. Chapter 6

Brothers

Haimere and Ryu are both in their preferred stances. Haimere blade made of magic begins to glow a dull white color. With a powerful downward swing the glow launched from his blade in the form of a eagle made of white light. Ryu puts his broad katana on his shoulder and as the eagle reaches him brings his blade down on the light halving it causing the two pieces to fly past him on either side dying before hitting the ground. Ryu charges at Haimere and swings his great blade horizontally at his brother. Haimere jumps over the swing and brings his blade down. Ryu plants his sword into the ground and uses it to swing himself away from the downward slash of Haimere.

Haimere lands on the ground and quickly whips his hand in Ryu's direction fire a ball of fire. Ryu tares his sword out of the ground using his magic to create an earth wave that destroys the fire ball. Haimere runs his middle and pointer finger down the length of his sword and this causes the blade to blow an intense blue. Once again he swings his sword down this time firing a vertical wave of energy that collides with the earth wave.

The collision causes an explosion of dirt and grass and dust making it impossible to see the enemy in front of you. Haimere holds his ground and takes a defensive stance. Suddenly the end of Ryu's blade cuts through the dust and in the split second Ryu locates Haimere and then the dust closes back up.

Haimere uses wind magic to blow away the ruble but Ryu is gone when he can finally see again. Haimere quickly looks up and sees Ryu bringing down his broad katana. Haimere falls backwards so that he has time to lift his sword to block. The broad sword slams into Haimere's magic blade and cuts halfway through it. Haimere kicks Ryu away and he quickly stands back up.

"What is wrong I thought that was a magic sword?"

Haimere scowls at Ryu and the blade begins to cause heat waves around it. The damage to the sword fills back in and the blade begins to transform into a more scimitar style sword.

"What's wrong brother did I say something I shouldn't have?"

Haimere rests the sword on his shoulder and begins to walk toward Ryu, Ryu does the same. As they close the distance they both begin to pick up their pace until they are running at each other. In true swordsmen fashion they both swing once and stop a few steps past each other.

Haimere falls to a knee and holds his now bleeding side, "You cheated."

Ryu keeps his back turned but he begins to laugh as his broad blade doesn't have any blood on it but the blade he had kept concealed, a smaller faster to use long knife is dripping with Haimere's blood, "You really think I would try to beat you with my broad sword, that is an obvious thing someone with my intellect would notice as a sure to lose situation."

Haimere snaps his fingers and a small explosion sends Ryu into the air and back down hard onto his side, "You think, I wouldn't use my magic skills against someone much more skills with the sword?"

Ryu gets up and looks at his brother with a very irrupted frown. He picks up his sword and puts the knife back in his sleeve, "Well I see you have.....!"

Ryu falls to his knees and clutches at his chest, the image of Kai slowly begins to appear outside of his body.

Kai quickly calls out, "Finish it!"

Haimere gets up and prepares to fire a blast of magic but the wound in his side makes him fall back to his knees. He picks up his blade and tries to quickly make his way to Ryu but by the time he reaches him Kai's image has faded and Ryu slams his fist into Haimere's jaw knocking him to the ground.

"It seems that the one I have took over still has some kick in him, so for now how about we call this a draw brother?"

* * *

Rain quickly crawls into Zion's tent and wakes him and Tabitha.

"Rain what's wrong?" Tabitha reach puts on her glasses and and yawns.

Rain puts her finger over her lips to indicate to stay quite, "I think there is going to be an ambush.

"What?"

* * *

A soldier enters a large tent and instantly bows to a knee, "Sir we are ready."

The man turns around and reaches for his sword, "Good, tell the archers to wait until I say so."

"Sir." The soldier gets up and goes off to relay the message.

The man looks into a mirror at his image. His short brown hair is damp with sweat. "Lord guide me..." He turns and exits the tent and makes his way to the center of the camp.

Another random soldier trots over to the man, Captain Hahn, we are waiting your order."

Hahn looks at the random soldier, "I know that."

The blunt statement leaves the soldier stuck and without comment.

"Holy Knights we have you surrounded come out!" Captain Hahn waits and finds himself becoming irritated with the lack of response from the tents. Hahn looks at a group of soldiers and nods towards the tents urging them to approach the tents.

The groups of soldiers run over to the tents and tear them all down but there is nothing inside.

Hahn looks at his soldiers and then turns to the one closest to him, "I want you to find the soldiers that where guarding the tents before we started mobilizing, if they aren't dead, I would prefer them to be."

The soldier is unable to speak as he was one of the guards.

* * *

The group make their way away from the camp.

Airo is leading the group and Zion is right behind him so that if he sees anything Airo can react quick enough to stop any attackers. "Airo stop."

the sound of cough comes from a behind a small group of trees.

Airo uses his speed to quickly sprint around the tree but after a moment of silence he calls everyone else over to him.

Haimere is sitting on the ground against one of the trees his white shirt stained red with blood, "It is good that you've found me."

Hina kneels down and looks at his side, "What happened to you?"

Haimere takes in a labored breath, "Your friend, Kai...he has been taken over by my brother."

"What do you mean?"

"Just like I have been summoned from my book by Seth, my little brother Ryu has been summoned, though I don't know the item that he sealed his soul into. Kai saved my and Seth's life this night."

Rain takes the last thing he said very seriously, "How did he save Seth's life?"

Haimere uses the tree to stand up, "If I died, then this body would naturally be dead. If this body dies then Seth would have no body to return to. He would be trapped in the book until someone else summoned him."

Zion puts his hand over the wound and applies pressure making Haimere grown in pain. Before Haimere can let out a more painful sound Zion removes his hand and the wound while no completely healed, is now closed, "I did this for Seth, not for you."

Haimere smiles, "Whether it be for him or not, the enemy now is that much stronger, my brother is very smart and just as powerful as me in many aspects. We should continue north. Perhaps we can get to the dark army before the devil's heart."


	7. Chapter 7

On the way

After some discussion the Holy Knights decide it best to leave early in the morning so that they don't have to worry about sneaking away in the middle of class for Louise and Tabitha. As Saito and Louise reached the norther wall of the academy the rest of the group is waiting.

"Sorry we are a little late," Saito scratches at the back of his head and chuckles a little while Louise's face turns an shade of red.

The others find the situation weird enough already and decide to start walking towards Germania.

Saito walks ahead of Louise to catch up with Seth who is a the head of the group, "Hey, are you sure that after what happened to you guys we should be leaving, are you all okay."

Seth smiles and nods while a "no problem" is shouted from behind them, "See we are all just fine, that old man sure is handy with the healing magic."

Saito smiles and nods, then drops back so that he is with Louise who is still not making eye contact with him.

As the group reaches the top of the first hill Saito and Louise both look back at the academy for a second.

Seth who is still at the front of the group shouts back to them, "You know we all really apreciate you guys helping us. We know this already hasn't been very fair to either of you two."

"The headmaster gave us the concent to help you, this is just like any other mission away from the academy." Louise voice is full of confidence like she know what to expect.

Rain looks back at her and smiles, "We're glad that you understand." Seth swerves so that he is walking next to Rain and puts his arm around her shoulder.

The gesture though obviously from earth and not here but Rain accepts the gesture and even rests her head against Seth's arm.

_Its really cool to see someone from earth, I haven't really asked him any questions about it since I left but he's from the USA and I'm from Japan, I don't think he'd know much_

Saito's intial happiness turns to saddness and though he tries he fails at hiding it from Louise.

"What's wrong Saito?"

"..............."

Louise leans in so she can see his face. His face is full of emotion and through experience she knows that he doesn't like to let her see when he is sad, "Saito......"

* * *

Louise slowly nerviously takes his hand, the only thing she can really think of doing. The action does absolutely nothing for Saito's current condition so she let's go and looks ahead of her, and sees how Seth and Rain are walking. With no grace at all she takes his hand and pulls him closer to her and puts his hand on the other side of her shoulders.

"Louise?" Satio looks at Louise, now she can't look up at him, he smiles and moves his hand from her shoulders. She looks in his direction, more at his shoes than anything, "Thanks Louise."

"S-s-s-s-s-sure......"

After a while the group stops for a rest by a row of trees on the side of the road they are using. Seth sits down under one of the trees and Rain cuddles up next to him. Zion and Tabitha are sitting on the other side of the tree Zion leaning against the tree and Tabitha sitting between his legs leaning against him, reading one of the books she brought along. Airo and Hina are both lying in the grass looking up at the clouds. All of them look like a scene from a painting as they are now all so more openly loving then they were before.

Saito sits down on the other side of the road, "Hey Louise," Louise walks over to him and sits down beside him, "Sorry about before."

"Saito?"

"I miss home a little that's all, seeing someone from earth just brought back so many memories of home and my old life." Saito smiles and leans back using his hands to prop himself up, "I wonder if anyone is looking for me, I did just disapear, did the summoning magic make them forget I even existed?" Saito lets his arms give way and he falls back into the grass, "I guess it's a good thing that I didn't really have any family or friends." The last comment make Louise feel very sad for Saito and she even starts to cry. Saito sits up really quick when he notices the tear fall from her cheek, "Hey I'm sorry I didn't mean that I want to leave here, this is my home, with you." Louise turns and hugs Saito, her crying stopped but her eyes are still teary. "I couldn't think of any place I'd rather be than with Louise."

A bug suddenly makes its way up Saito's shirt and he starts freaking out and eventually falls back down with Louise still clutching to him. As they lie in the grass looking into each other's eyes they both lose themselves and begin to draw closer to each other until their lips are almost touching.

Unfortunately for Saito his hand has come to rest on Louises lower back half of it anyway. Louise moves her face back quickly at the sudden feeling of Saito's hand touching the upper part of her behind and slaps him across the face, "Pervert!"

She gets up and joins the rest of the group that is preparing to start moving again.

_What bad luck, if she was half an inch taller that wouldn't have happened........._

The group starts walking again until the sun is starting to set and they finally reach a small town.

Seth turns to the group, "well we can camp or get a couple of rooms.

The females of the group all agree that getting rooms would be the best idea so Seth goes into the small establishment and returns with two room keys.

"Two?"

Seth shrugs, "This place is only a five room inn, the others are being used already. Rain takes one of the keys and Seth keeps the other and they head into the inn.

The inside of the building is reminicent to Seista's uncle's bar except he isn't there, which Saito and Louise both agree is a good thing. An old man well into his seventies is behind the counter and nods at Seth as he passes with the rest of the group.

Rain whispers to Seth as they are going up to the second level of the building, "You don't have any money do you, how did you get these rooms?"

He keeps walking but she can tell he is smiling by the way he is talking, "That old fella is a friend of mine."

As the group reaches the two doors to the rooms Seth turns to Saito and tosses him the key, "What are you doing Seth?"

Seth smirks at the question, "Saito, I'm married, I'm gonna sleep in the same bed as my wife."

Saito blushes as he realizes how silly the question must have sounded, "Oh...." his response make him blush more as he unlocks the door.

The room is about the size of Louise's back at the academy but there are two beds, Saito gulps and turns back at Seth who is smiling a victories smile and give Saito a thumbs up as he, Rain, Zion, and Tabitha go into their room.

Louise and Saito being the only non-married couple in the group find this to be rather conspiquious that the room didn't have more beds. Louise has of course taken the bed and Saito is simply on the floor lying on some straw that was meant as fuel for the rooms personal heater/stove.

As the night continues the temperature gets colder to the point that Saito is asleep but he is shivering in his sleep and wakes Louise.

_If he tries anything......_

She gets up and shakes his shoulder until he wakes up.

Saito looks up at Louise though he is still half asleep. She helps him up and brings him over to her bed on the way she unzips his cold over coat and lets it just fall to the ground and then gets into bed. She holds up the covers as Saito slips into the bed. Saito trips and ends up on top of her. She almost yells except she knows it would wak everyone else up including the people on the other side of the room who are hidden behind a sheet that is attached to the ceiling. She looks up at Saito's blue eyes and he whispers "I can't," and lowers his head to her neck and begins to place small kisses on her neck and shoulder.

His lips and warm breath on her bare skin makes her begin to take in more shallow breathes. He continues to kiss her as she begins to let out small sounds giving her feelings verbal understandings. Saito pulls back away from her and looks down at her again.

_This is just like before, _

Saito doesn't grab the golden emblem holding her shirt together he just looks at it and takes in a deep breath like he is trying to stop himself from continuing. Louise reaches up and runs a hand across his cheeck tenderly feeling his skin on her finger tips.

* * *

Seth exits his room his face flush, and he is out of breath, but abnormally happy. He makes his way quietly past the other rooms and down the steps. He notes how cold it is inside the building, though he is wearing a white tank top and sweat pants that he had from earth. As he reaches the bottom floor he sees the old man and he smiles and nods, their usual greating.

Seth sits down at one of the empty tables only two other people are in the room besides the old man. One is a woman with shoulder length lavender hair and the other from what Seth can make out a guy, though he is wearing a stocking cap kind of hat. A young girl, the oldman neice walks up and sets a glass of water down in front of him.

"It's been a long time Seth." her voice is as cheerful as he remembered.

"Well we haven't had any....business in this area resently." his serious face turns into a smile, "How are you Sakura?"

She sits down beside him her blonde hair, not as short as it once was now rests comfortably on her shoulders, "I've missed you."

Seth takes a drink and releases a sigh after taking a big glup, "I missed you guys too."

"What have you been up to?"

Seth looks at her his face isn't stern but she realizes that she crossed a line, "Sakura, you know..."

She smiles and waves her hands in front of her face, "No, no, no, I'm sorry, I just.......I've thought of so many questions about your adventures and what the world is like, but I can't ask you any of them huh?........"

Seth feels bad because she is so nice about having her dreams stepped on, "I'm sorry, I don't like to keep secrets from my friends, but I find that I don't have very many, so if secrets means more friends than I guess I'll keep the secrets." He takes in a deep breath and after a long pause looks back at her, "One question, ask anything."

The young woman practicly jumps out of her chair, "Okay how about....."

A glass suddenly shatters on the ground the woman sitting by herself knocked the table as she stood and cause the glass to fall. Sakura smiles at Seth and mouths "one second" to him and goes to clean up the mess.

The woman without saying a word drops a coin off at the old man's counter that would pay for much more than the cup and continues up the steps and out of sight. Seth gets up and goes to help Sakura. As he passes by the other man wear the stocking cap he notices his face.

Seth stops and spins around, "You!"

The man looks up and reveals his face to that of Griffin's, "What?"

Seth brings his fist back, "You bastard!"

Before Seth brings his fist down on him Griffin pushs on the back of his chair and falls backwards and rolls up to his feet. He then quickly runs for a side door with Seth right behind him.

* * *

Louise moves her head back from Saito's, his lips where so soft against hers. She puts her hand on the gold piece hold her shirt together and pulls it off leaving the buttons as the only thing left holding the shirt closed. Saito smiles down at her and goes back to kissing her neck and begins to undo the buttons.

_Is this really happening, please don't let this be a dream._

Saito undoes another button and thanks god that this is finally going to happen.

The door suddenly burst open and a woman in all black steps into the room, her lavender hair flowing even with no wind.

Airo and Hina both quickly get out of the bed but with a snap of her fingers they are both frozen in place. Saito jumps out of bed and tries to reach Derflinger but the woman takes him by the neck and pins him against the wall. Rain, Airo, and Tabitha runs into the room but once again the woman snaps her fingers and they are frozen in place.

"SAITO!!!"

The woman looks at Louise who is reaching for her wand. The lavender haired feind wips her hand toward Louise and a sudden force blows the whole wall behind her to piece and sends her wand out into the darkness.

"Louise run!"

She turns her attention back to Saito. She lifts his hand and runs the backside of her hand against his face tenderly. Her fingers suddenly grow and turn into some kind of metal.

"LOUISE RUN!!!!"

The woman brings her hand back far enough that the blade tips are resting against Saito's shoulder.

"NOOO!!!!!!" Louise tries to pleaed with the woman, "Please whatever you want please don't hurt him, please, PLEASE!?!?"

The woman lets out a blood chilling laugh, "You are in no place to negotiate,"

With a grunt the blades are through him and are pinning him against the wall without her holding his neck. She looks back at Louise, her lavender hair smeared with Saito's blood and in one swift motion she pulls the blades from Saito's body and watches his body, limp, fall to the ground and slump over.

"You're coming with me......"

* * *

Griffin keeps running but with Seth rigtht behind him he can't get away as Seth dive forward and trips him. Griffin falls face first to the ground and Seth quickly gets up before Griffin has a chance to draw the sword.

"Please don't hurt me, I don't know who you are," Seth brings his arm back and prepares to bring his fist down on Griffin's face, "I don't know you!" Seth stops, the teens whole body is shaking.

"Who are you?" Griffin doesn't answer so Seth takes him by the collar and yanks him up closer to his face, "Who are you?"

The terrified teen answers with a trembling voice, "c-c-c-c-c-c-Cole, my, my name is Cole."

Seth looks at this kid, with a mix of disbelief and confusion, "No your name is Griffin."

"Griffin, I don't know anyone named Griffin, I t-told you my n-name is Cole."

Seth slams the kids body back into the ground and steps back, "Cole, Griffin, who ever you are why'd you steal that sword!?"

Cole looks at the sword secrurly attached to his belt at his hip, "I didn't steal this sword,"

"If you didn't then who did?"

"................."

Seth grabs him by the colar again, "Aswer my question, who stole the sword?!"

Cole looks up at Seth, "I did....."

"What..."

Cole headbuts Seth making him stumble back and Cole gets back to his feet, "I'm glad to see you are still alive, the last time you weren't very much fun."

Seth brings his arms up to defend himself is needed, though he doesn't have his gauntlets to block the sword, "So what is it, Cole or Griffin!?"

"Well Cole is in here, but he is a little busy," He leans forward and whispers, "He's napping."

Seth runs at Cole and swings at him with a cross right but the attack is blocked. Cole smiles at and jumps up and kicks Seth in the gut. Cole lifts his leg and brings it down slamming his heel against the ground as Seth barely dodges the attack.

_My runes aren't working right even without the gauntlet I shouldn't be so easily blocked_

Seth tries to summon a fire blast but nothing comes out and he gets a kick to the side of the head for his trouble.

"I see you got some new runes, what's the matter don't know how to use 'em?" Cole laughs and draws his sword, "You know what this blade is called, the godly devil Excamasa." He brings the blade down and the swings causes a shock wave that sends Seth into the air and he comes down into and tree and after falling through lands on his side. "I'm not gonna kill you yet, I belive in fair play, and my name is Griffin, don't mistake that weakling Cole as me."

He turns and walks away and Seth, powerless, doesn't try to follow him.

"Great, runes of the Seer huh, can't use _my_ runes now?" Seth gets up and walks back to the old man's inn only to find it choatic.

Seth runs into the building and goes right past Sakura and up the steps into a room that is missing the whole back wall. Seth turns around and Sakura is standing in front of him, "They are in the other room."

Seth walks past her and into the other room they purshased, "Is everyone okay?" The room is filled with his knocked out friends except for one. "Zion what happened?"

"Some woman with lavender hair, she put a stop spell on us and then stabbed Saito. That's not all, she took Louise." Zion goes back to working on what appears to be five sword wounds from his shoulder to the middle of his chest, "Its a good thing the spell wore off on me quickly or Saito would be dead now."

Seth falls back against the wall and slides down.

"What do we do now?"


	8. Chapter 8

The Greater Good

Saito opens his eyes and sits up, "LOUISE!!!!?" His heart begins to race so fast that it feels like its going to burst as he franticly looks around the room, "LOUISE!!!!?" The room offers no solace nothing that can offer any guidance for Saito, "No.............NO...........AAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!"

* * *

The sound of a door slamming shocks everyone downstairs almost as much as the painful, heart wrenching screams. Saito fumbles down the steps his legs still weak.

Seth gets up and meets him at the bottom of the steps, "Saito what are you doing?"

Saito shoves his way past Seth, "I'm going to go get Louise," Saito reaches the door and before he opens it he stops and turns around, no one is following behind him, "What are you doing, we need to save Louise!" No one can look up at his face they all keep their eyes to the ground, "No one is coming with me?"

Saito turns back around and takes hold of the door handle, "WAIT!" Seth calls out and walks over to him.

Saito turns around and looks at Seth, "Thank you Seth, we need to hurry we can still catch up them if we hurry."

Seth drops his head and his voice is barely more than a whisper, "No, we won't."

Saito can't believe what he is hearing, how can he say such a thing. _Won't_ why not, everything seems to have come crashing down on Saito in this very moment, the world stops nothing matters beside getting Louise back. Saito feels something inside him that he has never felt before, betrayal. Saito backs up and is stopped by the door, "What do you mean?"

Seth looks up but still avoids eye contact, "Saito, please try to understand, we need to get to Germania. Remember.........save the world." Seth right eye releases the smallest of tears, "I am really sorry, I know that you can't forgive....."

Saito brings his arm back and blasts Seth in the face with his fist dropping him to the ground, "I love her and I'm going to get her, NOW!"

Saito opens the door and takes a step outside, Seth from the floor quickly scrambles to get up, "HUNDREDS WILL DIE SAITO!" Saito stops and Seth looks at the back of his comrade, his friend, "Please Saito, try to understand, I know this isn't fair."

"What if they had taken Rain," Saito's words pierce the very core of Seth, the thought of Rain being taken makes him begin to tremble, "Seth, what if Rain had been the one taken."

Seth looks at his wife, the one he loves most, the reason he is who he is, "I'm sorry, Saito. We can't go after her." Rain looks away from Seth, gets up and leaves the room. Seth gets back to his feet his body still trembling. "Saito, I know this isn't fair to ask of you, but on my life I swear I will help you find her, once this army has been taken care of." Seth cluctches at his heart, "I swear on my life that I won't give up until we find her."

"She might not even be alive by the time we start searching for her." Saito's hands become tightly clenched fists, "Louise or the world, is that what I have to choose from."

Seth can't bring himself to say anything else he just sits down at one of the tables.

Saito's legs give out and he falls to the ground just outside of the inn. His tears fall freely to the ground as he looks around trying to find something that would get him hope. The sun only beginning to rise on the worst day in his entire life. He falls deep into himself thinking about Louise and how she will hate him for not protecting her like he promised so long ago. His first promise and now it has been broken.

Many hours pass until the sun is high over head and everyone, though filled with sadness for Saito, pack up and are prepared to leave. Saito gets up and without a single word puts on his pack and joins the group.

Seth stops walking and the group gets ahead of him, "Guy's I gotta go talk to the old man I'll catch up in a bit."

Seth goes back into the inn and finds the old man sitting behind his counter, almost like nothing has happened, this alone tears at Seth.

"You forget something boy?"

Seth pulls out a small pouch and puts it down on the counter, "This is all the money I got, it won't be enough so...." He pulls out his gauntlets and places them on the counter next to the pouch, "These are enchanted so they will get you the rest if you sell them and enough to hire workers too."

"Boy, I'm not taking your money, you are going to need that, especially your weapons."

"I can't use them now any way. Something has stopped my from using my full potential." Before the man can say anything else Seth turns and heads for the door, "Old man.....Cid, I don't know if I will be coming back from this. Tell Sakura I'm sorry for not getting to answer her question." Seth rounds the corner and exits the building.

After a few minutes Seth catches up with the group, everyone seems to be in the same shape they were in before, which is of no surprise as Seth still feels just as bad as his originally did. Seth reaches Rain and he tries to take her hand but she refuses and catches up to Tabitha and Zion ahead of him.

The group covers more than expected considering what time they left the inn and as the sun begins to set they all make camp. Saito simply sits under a tree and looks at the only thing he has left of Louise, the golden emblem she wore around her neck.

After the camp is set up Seth goes to get firewood by himself. The whole time he is collecting wood he is whispering, "I'm sorry." He finally gets an armful of wood he starts making his way back to the camp but before he can get into camp Rain stops him. They share an awkward silence before Seth finally lowers his eyes back to the ground and walks past her. He drops the wood near the small pit that has been dug and goes into his tent.

Before Rain gets back Seth has already exited the tent with his back pack and has walked off into the night. She looks around the fire and can't find her husband. "Where's Seth?"

"We don't know, he took his pack and walk off." Zion doesn't look up at her as he is picking at the fire, "He is taking this hard, not like Saito but, something is wrong with him."

"Do you know which way he went?"

Tabitha points towards the northwest and Rain goes in that direction. As she disappears into the darkness Tabitha clutches onto Zion and begins to quietly cry into his chest for her lost friend Louise.

_Where did he go, did he go to try and find Louise_

Rain finds herself lost in the woods the only sound all around her is that of her own thoughts, until she hears a sound similar to that of water being splashed. She follows the sound until she can see steam rising from a small spring.

_A hot spring, in the middle of the forest_

She begins to slowly approach until a body resurfaces from under the water. She hides again not knowing who it is until she hears the voice.

Seth is sitting in the middle of a spring with no one else around, "What am I gonna do." His voice echoes around him, "Saito hates me, Rain hates me, I hate me." He learns back and lets the water keep him afloat. "I'm not a leader, I'm just a teenager from a different planet, who am I to play the hero." He sticks his head back under the water and pulls it back up quickly flipping his bangs over the top of his head, "Please God help me, send me a sign."

Silence is all that he has only his words and his pain is with him.

"I don't hate you." Seth turns around in the water and finds Rain approaching from her hiding spot behind a tree, "Don't begin to think I could ever hate you."

Seth turns around so that he doesn't have to face her as he talks, "But when Saito said....." Seth drops his head and begins to shiver even though he is in a hot spring. "I'm sorry"

Seth hears something behind him but he can't bare to turn around. Suddenly he feels Rain body against him she leans in, her breasts against his back, she wraps her arms around him and rests her cheek against the top of his head. He reaches up and holds her arm and rests his head on her soft arms.

"I love you Rain."

She can feel a cold tear from his face run down her arm, "I love you too and....I understand, I don't hate you."

The words while make him feel relief he won't forgive himself just yet. He turns around and finds himself looking at the most beautiful woman he has ever seen. He quickly looks down into the water and quietly apologizes.

Rain smiles and sits down next to him as she realizes that her naked body is causing Seth's sudden apologizing.

Seth becomes nervous for some reason, what ever it is, confuses Rain as they have been married for well over a year, " I have s-something to t-tell you."

She brings her knees up to her chest and wraps her arms around them, "What is it Seth?"

Seth licks his lips and takes a slow breath in, "My runes don't work any more."

The news takes Rain by surprise she wasn't expecting anything like that, "They don't work?" She keeps her voice soft, everyone's had a tough enough day without feeling like they're being yelled at.

"Those other runes, the runes of the Seer, I think they are the reason. After today I think I know why the Seer even existed." Seth looks over at Rain who is listening with an interested look on her face. "I think that before Gandalfr, during the Seer's time, who ever had the runes, weren't the good guys. I think thats why I can't use my runes, the Seer runes are blocking my power."

Rain seems to be having a difficult time digesting all the information and Seth theory, "So you think that the book was some kind of trap?"

"I think that those items belonged to the rune holders before us and they had the curse put on them. I don't know about the sword but I think the wand and the book where used by one person that's why I get shocked when I touch them both. I bet there are words in that book, but only when I'm holding them both." Seth slowly improving attitude takes a drastic step in the wrong direction as he appears in shambles, "After what I did today I don't deserve the left arm of God." He looks at Rain like he is lost, "I don't know what to do Rain, I don't understand this place, I'm not from here."

She smiles and crawls behind him and pulls his body back against hers. She begins to run her hand through his hair and coos to him, "Everything will be fine my love." She smiles down at him, "You used to say things like that all the time, but now, you know where you are and if you are with me than you _belong_ here whether you are or are not from here." She places a kiss on the top of his head as she can feel his tense body finally begin to relax, "You can't take everyone's burdens and hold inside of you."

"I'm sorry."

"I'm not mad at you, I'm sorry that there are so many things you blame yourself for. None of them are your fault. You need to stop making everyone else's problems yours." She runs the back of her hand down his cheek making him grow more relaxed, "You made the right decision today. It isn't said but you are the leader and right now, you need to believe that you are."

"I'm sorry."

She repeats that she isn't mad but every time she does he says, I'm sorry, again until she puts her finger over his lips.

"I told you already, so stop."

The small doesn't offer much for heat and it is only big enough to cook on meal on at a time but by the time Seth and Rain return everyone has already eaten and are around the fire making small talk. Zion and Airo are talking about their homes and Hina is asking Tabitha question about being a knight. Rain sits down first and Seth slowly walks back into the camp and sits beside her.

Everyone keeps talking but they do acknowledge that they have both returned. Seth looks over to where Saito is, he is still looking down at the golden emblem. Seth looks at Zion who saw him look over to Saito, Zion nods giving Seth unspoken courage to talk to Saito. Seth stands up and runs his finger along Rain shoulders as he walks past her and over to Saito.

"Louise....."

Seth sits down in front of Saito with his food, "Saito here," Saito doesn't take the food so he sets it down between the two of them. "Saito I...."

"I know......you're sorry." Saito looks up from the memento, "You know, I can't cry anymore. I think I've run out of tears."

Seth tries to lighten Saito's mood by pulling out a water bottle from pack and puts it next to the food between them. To Seth great pleasure this does make Saito smirk though it's obvious that he doesn't want feel better, something Seth can understand.

"You are right you know," Saito though not more than a minute ago said he couldn't, a single tear runs down his cheek and his jaw line. "Many people will die if we don't stop that army."

Seth is speechless, no words he could offer him could bring any real comfort he know that, but what Saito just said, he knows that Saito didn't want to. Inside Saito is probably being torn apart nothing left of his one true love beside the golden emblem she wore around her neck. It's so stupid and Seth can't stand the thought of having to do that, If he ever lost Rain, he'd never recover, and here is Saito coming to an understanding that for thousands of people to live his love, in all honesty has to be sacrificed just eats at Seth.

Seth stands up quickly and walks back to the fire, "Tomorrow we are leaving early so everyone get some sleep while you can, the sooner we get there the sooner we can save the world."


	9. Chapter 9

The Strongest Town

Just as Seth said the night before the group is woken up by Seth before the sun can even be seen coming over the horizon. Seth is already ready to go as he packed up before waking everyone else up.

Rain crawls out of the tent an obvious distaste for this idea written across her face, "It was easy to be fired up about this last night." Seth bends down and kisses her on the lips and then walks away, "Geeze, he hardly sleeps and now he is waking up before the sun rises...."

Airo using his amazing speed packs up the tent around Hina leaving her sitting in an empty shell of a tent. Within twenty minutes everyone is up and Seth leads the group on. Though his attitude and actions show a very determined person on the inside he knows that as he is if they get attacked he'd be completely useless without his runes.

_At least Rain knows now maybe she can figure something out_

A few hours into the journey Seth begins to remember the surrounds and actually becomes exited, "You guys are in for a real treat."

Zion looks over Tabitha's shoulder, "Why, is there some great natural wonder or something up ahead?"

Seth kinda laughs, "More like the opposite, the town up ahead is Strongest Town" Rain nods but Zion and Airo aren't from the area so their knowledge is less than. "This place is great for someone like me. I think Saito would enjoy it too. This place is where a lot of the most powerful fighters gather to train and compete against each other." Seth looks up in the sky and crosses his heart, "Master Gen, lived there."

"Master Gen?"

Seth smiles back at the group, "My master, he taught me how to fight, without him I'd already be dead. In such a short amount of time he taught me how to fight to almost my full potential."

The mood of the entire group seems to elevate because of Seth's rather uncharacteristic happiness and optimism. Seth turns around again and smiles at Rain, "This is where we finally started to get along. This place is very special to me."

Before Rain can return the kind words smoke begins to rise over the last hill before the town. Her face turns white and Seth's smile quickly fades away. "Seth....."

He slowly turns around the smoke just reaching into the heavens, "No" Seth sprints up the next hill and into town.

Before the group makes it to the town gates Seth is already running from house to house trying to find someone. He finally stops to catch his wind and falls to his knees. Rain runs to him and kneels down in front of him, "Rain, they are all gone..."

"Gone?"

"Dead Rain, they are all dead, because of wounds or smoke or fire, it doesn't matter they are all dead." Seth's face is blackened from the smoke erupting from the houses he entered, "This town is suppose to be filled with the strongest fighters in all of Tristain and Germania."

The sound of a building further down the road collapsing makes Seth rise to his feet. He puts his pack down on the ground and removes his over coat and shoves it in before closing it up, "He did this, if he sent people after us at the Magic Academy then they would have had to pass by this town."

Another building roof collapses in and the walls fall soon after. Seth and the group slowly make their way through the town Seth at the head of the group silently reminiscing about the short time he spent in the town. As he reaches a house the causes a fork in the main road. A simple weather worn white, home with two stone steps to the front door. The building isn't on fire but the outer walls are scorched, possibly from the heat of the close neighboring buildings flames, though those are out as well.

The town's smoke continues to rising into the sky and is easily seen even as they are far enough away to not even see the town. What was once a very light mood has become some what dark as the simplest of questions if directed at Seth are replied with a, "huh?" The group reaches a very large almost mountain like hill that allows them to see the land stretched out before them. As they look on marveling at the great view Zion notices something.

"Guys there is a group of people down there." Zion points at a group of four all in black cloaks similar to the one worn by the man that attacked Seth and Rain at Tristain.

Seth begins to quickly make his way down the hill and is half way down before anyone notices. As Seth reaches the bottom Airo is already waiting for him, having used his increased skills in movement to reach the bottom faster.

"We should wait."

"You can wait." Seth walk right past Airo and continues on.

Airo looks back up and sees that everyone else is still only about half way down and runs after Seth. "What are we gonna do, capture and question them."

"Kill them all."

"You can't be serious."

Seth flashes him a look before speeding up his pace. His eyes holding so many different emotions and wants, though at the moment revenge seems his strongest. He begins to run with Airo keeping a slight distance behind him, knowing that at this point in time if he continued to try and stop Seth, he might end up fighting him.

* * *

A few hours pass and Seth and Airo still haven't caught the group ahead of them.

"Why haven't we caught up with them yet!?" Seth stops and turns to Airo like he expects his friend to apologize for this problem.

Airo stops and looks at the foot imprints left by the people, "I don't know if they where running then the imprints would be different, I'm starting to think we should wait for everyone else."

"Maybe you should use your power to catch up with those people." Seth puts his hands over his head and begins to follow the tracks again.

Airo doesn't respond to Seth's quick fire words, laced with insults, instead he just stays behind Seth and stays quiet.

After a few steps something flies over their heads to quick to be seen, just heard.

Seth stops and quickly scans the area for somewhere to hide, but they are in the middle of an open field, "Back to back."

Airo quickly jogs up to him and spins so that they have a full circle of vision around them.

The wind seems to completely die and a sharp whistling sound begins to ring through the area. Airo looks up and finds the cause of it, "Dragon!"

Airo and Seth duck low to the ground so that they aren't blown away by he powerful winds pushed at them from the dragon's wings. The group of people jump off of the dragons back and stand before Seth and Airo.

Seth stands up and takes his stance, "Did you burn down that down back there!?"

One of the four, the second shortest puts his hands behind his back and begin to laugh like a pig. The man behind him easily twice his height bends down and puts an arm around the shorter mans shoulder and begins to laugh, his body practically convulsing.

Seth brings his arms to his side and stands up straight, visually challenging the larger man, "Answer me scum!"

The large man suddenly stops laughing and though his cloak is still blocking his face from being completely seen a scowl is faintly seen on his face. He turns to the shortest of the group, "Allison, let's see that magic again huh," For a man that easily stands over six feet tall his rather placid voice doesn't seem to match.

The shortest of the cloaked group, Allison, steps in front of the group and whips his arm out. A wand comes out of her large sleeves and she grabs is just before it can get away from her. With one fluid motion she draw her left arm up and her right arm moves until the wand to pointing right at Seth and Airo.

The woman removes her hood and pink flowing hair falls past her shoulders, "Explosion."


	10. Chapter 10

Further Seperation

The woman removes her hood and pink flowing hair falls past her shoulders, "Explosion."

Seth jaw drops, "Louise?" Before anything further can leave his lips a blast erupts in his face.

* * *

The ground suddenly shakes and a familiar sound echoes through the air as the others look into the horizon and as even though the sun won't set for a few more hours the scene is breathe taking. Reds and yellows dance arcoss the endless horizon but the beautiful sight is far from relaxing as the group begins to run in the direction.

Saito quickly gets ahead of everyone else and arrive is the first to come close enough to see what has happened. To someone from earth the sight look like a tank had fired at barrel of gasoline. The grass and ground are scorched just like the some of the building back at the burning town they just passed through. In the middle of the blast two spots are less damaged than the rest of the circle of destruction.

The rest of the group finally catch up and Zion quickly notices what took Saito so long to.

"The ground here and there are both in much better condition than the rest of this area." Zion turns back to the group and looks at Rain, "These spots are too small to be fallen bodies outlines." Though the news is far from good, to Rain the sound of Seth withstanding such a blast is a great deal of worry off of her shoulders.

Saito kneals down near a spot of grass that is still on fire.

_'Louise, could it be her?'_

Saito stands up and suddenly sprints off. Before Zion can do anything to stop him Saito is well over fifty feet away.

"We should follow him."

Hina looks at the ground and the burns all in a near perfect circle, "But how does he know where he is going?"

Zion shrugs, "I guess he just does."

Tabitha sneeks past Zion, "Louise...." The name alone is reason enough for the remaining member of the group follow after Tabitha who is following after Saito.

* * *

Seth can feel the blood rushing from his legs to his head, _'my head hurts, what happened?' _He tries to look around but has to close his eyes again because of the intense pain caused by just having them open, _'am I dead, no, if I was dead than there is no way I could feel like this....the explosion, pink hair......Louise, no it looked like her but the guy called her........called her..........Allison, right Allison.'_ He tries to get his thoughts together but between the blood rushing to his head and the swaying of the person carrying him, nothing seems to stick besides a few words, '_pink hair, Allison'_

Saito keeps running until he sees that the foot prints come to a dead end simply stopping. He quickly scans the area and then pulls out Derflinger, "Partner I think they may be using magic to hide their foot prints, can you help me."

"I'll try, swing me horizontally and I'll try to disperse the magic."

Saito winds up like a samurai playing baseball and swings. Derflinger releases an unfimiliar wave of red energy and small blasts like fireflies combusting start happening in front of him. "Thanks partner." Saito quickly puts Derflinger away and restarts his running following the trail as it begins to reveal itself to him.

Seth opens his eyes again the pain while still a large discomfort isn't as bad as before. He looks across the back of the person carrying him and sees Airo also hanging over the shoulder of the large man that laughed at them eariler.

The moments before blacking out finally begin to clear up.

As the explosion erupted Airo pulled Seth away from the near blast. _'So that's what happened, he pulled me back because a blast that close would've killed me' _Seth looks back over to Airo, he is alive form the looks of it, not good shape but considering what happened not too long ago he looks pretty good. Seth begins to try and formulate a plan. He quickly tries to find a way out of his current catporer's hands. He quickly spots a knife and scarrab at the man's waist. Seth slowly reaches for the handle and barely can touch it with his finger tips. 'S_hit..........screw it!'_

Seth forces his body down by thrusting his arms down and grabs the knife. In one quick motion he jams the knife forcefully into the man's back and falls to the ground. Before step two of his plan can start he realizes that his legs have absolutely no feeling and he can't get up past his knees.

The man quickly spins around and punts Seth in the jaw lifting him off the ground and down onto his back, "You little ass," the man reaches over his shoulder with his opposite arm and with a wrenching motion removes the knife from his back. "Now I'm gonna kill you."

The man lifts Seth up by his neck and slugs him in the face letting Seth fall back to his knees. Seth spits out a mouthful of blood onto the man's boots and smirks. The man brings his leg back to build momentum on his next kick but before he can bring his boot up Seth suddenly charges and rams his shoulder into the man's chest knocking him to the ground. Seth finally gets the feeling back in his legs but the feeling to quickly replaced by skin ripping pain in his back. Seth quickly terns and finds himself staring down a woman with lavender hair.

"Helious."

Seth turns to see who she is speaking to just as a large fist connects with the side of his head and he falls back to the ground. He struggles to push up off the ground but is quickly thworted as the largest man in the group stomps down on Seth back forcing him back into the ground.

"Sara, can I kill him, it's only fair. He stabbed me!"

The lavender haired woman looks at the cloaked figure or Allison and smiles, "No in fact, Arimus leave that other one here as well." Seth looks up from the ground as Sara walks over to Allison and removes her hood, "Do you know this person?" Seth grits his teeth and tries to not further upset the large Helious, who still has his now blood covered boot on Seth's back. Sara yanks on the cloak showing Allison's upper chest, a symbol in the shape of a spider is tattooed into her skin. "She does what ever we want and just think, all we had to do was torture her a little and put her under a simple spell. Louise is dead, you tell Gandalfr that."

The man that was carrying Airo begins to laugh like a pig again and the group turns and walks away.

Seth reaches towards the group as they disappear into the horizon, "Wait, Louise......" Seth blacks out.

Seth opens his eyes and is quick to scan his current situation and finds himself lying on a sleeping bag, a fire a few feet away. Seth sits up and cringes at the pain in his back from the cuts and the stomp.

Saito almost like a ghost is suddenly in front of him and sits down facing towards the fire, "Are you okay?"

"Seth takes in a hindered breath, "I have been better but considered out of my usual beating this is probubly the best I've been after one."

"It was Louise wasn't it?"

"Yeah....I'm sorry I tried."

Saito smiles and looks over at Seth, "She's alive Seth...."

Seth smiles at Saito almost complete lack of understanding at the situation, "She is under a spell."

Saito gets up and wipes off his pants, "Seth.....magic can be broken, I can't save her if she is dead."

Seth shrugs and nods, "I suppose you are right."

Saito walks away and Rain walks over, "You okay?"

Seth thinks about what has happened, "A whole town was burned down, I was nearly blown up, I was beaten until I was unconscious, twice, I think are going to need help."

Rain pickes up a stick and pokes at the fire, "Kai?" Her tone say's more than just her inquisition to what Seth is thinking.

"We really could use his skills."

"Are we close to his village?"

"If we keep going in this direction we should be there in a couple of days, it's not off course." Seth's words seem like he is trying to convince Rain to let them try and get Kai. Rain sits down next to Seth and lifts open the sleeping bag he's on top of. Seth smiles and gets inside the sleeping back and cuddles up to Rain's back.

"Is that a yes?"


	11. Chapter 11

The Unlocking

The sun begins to rise and birds begin to sing songs that make the whole situation seem like a bad dream, but the truth is that it is all true. Some maniac has amassed an army and with it has burned down a town, captured and completely took over Louise's mind, and on more than one occasion nearly killed a majority of the Holy Knights.

Now that they are within Germania it is only a matter of time before the final confrontation with that man and his army. After the last incident Seth deemed it necessary to find and re-recruit Kai Tutor into the Holy Knights, God's Heart. Luckily keeping tabs on certain people has become an art form for the Knights and since Kai is such an important person, keeping tabs is a necessity.

* * *

Saito now knowing that Louise is still "savable" is much happier than he was when he convinced himself that there was no way to get the woman he loves back, "So Seth, this guy Kai where is he?"

Seth runs a bandaged hand through his hair and picks at the wrap around his head, "He should be just west of here, so if we follow the road on the left we should find him in no time."

Rain slaps his bandaged hand making him flinch, "Stop picking at that wrap, I'll take it off you when we rest again."

Hina looks at Airo, "Are you feeling better?"

"Yes, thank you." Airo's voice always sounds different when he speaks to his wife, like he still feels embarrassed about something.

Zion runs a finger down the scar on his face and takes in a deep disappointed breath. Tabitha lightly gabs her elbow into his gut, "What is wrong Zion?"

"I haven't been any help to Airo or Seth this whole time. I arrived late at the academy I couldn't catch up yesterday,"

"Hey Zion could you come up here I need your eyes." Seth waves from the front of the group but they don't stop walking. Zion walks past Airo, Hina, Rain, and Saito and gets next to Seth. "If you see anything out of the ordinary then quietly tell me."

Zion nods and begins to scan the area around them inconspicuously.

Rain walks up beside Seth opposite to Zion and takes his hand. Saito looks at the gesture and smiles thinking about all the times he was with Louise and as he tries to remember the good times he keeps thinking of the times he was caught at the most inopportune moments with no explanation to give that would save himself the lash or a magical explosion. Finally one time replays in his mind. Louise had been summoned back to her home and she was told she would leave the academy and be forced into marriage unless she had found a noble to marry already. She struggled through the day trying to say something until she became so frustrated and demoralized she went to the dock and sat down in a little boat she used to sit in when she was little to think. He found her and somehow ended up on top of her in the middle of the lake. The first time they had an overly passionate moment, though once again the golden emblem stopped him from continuing with his passionate conquest, that and her father finding them after the boat reached the shore on the opposite side of the lake.

Saito closes his eyes and smiles, "Best day....."

"Down!" Zion calls out and everyone quickly begin to get on the ground. A blizzard of ice shards begin to come into sight.

Before she can get down all the way a shard cuts into the side of Rain's arm and she tries to be strong, but lets out a cry of pain.

"Rain!"

"Seth..."

As the shards pass by Seth stands back up and Zion quickly makes a wall of earth in front of them.

Seth kneels down beside Rain and removes his wrap and ties it around Rain arm to absorb and hopefully stop the bleeding from the deep cut. Seth stands up and turns to Zion, Airo, and Saito, "Ready?" They nod and he then turns to Hina and Tabitha, "We will need some help if this mage can summon up so much magic so quickly." They nod and Zion lowers the earth shield and they begin walking in the direction the shards came from.

More ice in much larger pieces materialize in the middle of the road and fly at the four. Tabitha and Hina quickly use wind magic to force the ice to the left of the group.

A man with a tattoo over his right eye materializes in front of the group. "So with two mages I guess my long ranger attack won't do me any good." The man lifts his hands above his head and then points to the ground and everything begins to freeze around the group.

The area all around them becomes frozen and covered in snow or ice, like winter had hit in a controlled area. Zion gets in front of the others and lifts his right hand, fire begins to grow from his palm until it is completely covering his right hand, "You want to use ice magic?"

Zion lets the fireball loose and the man dodges the ball of flame quite easily but as the flame hits the frozen ground it completely dies and leaves no remaining damage to the frozen ground. The hand points at the group and another bunch of ice shards fly at them. Tabitha and Hina once again use wind magic to force the shards away but fail to notice the large tidal wave of snow behind them.

Rain stands up and tries to stop the snow wave with her own blast of fire but her magic quickly fails and they are buried.

"I have just about enough of the girls in the peanut gallery helping you four fight." The man lifts his left hand and the ice in front of him begins to grown and take a frozen shape of his body, "Now we can have fun." The man suddenly disappears leaving only the four ice monsters.

The four ice men charge at the group and form weapons out of there body.

Airo flips over his attacker but is struck before he lands as the ice man has made a staff out of ice. Airo quickly gets to his feet and is quickly put back into a defensive situation as he can't find an opening to attack the ice man. He backs into a tree and is struck in the side but the ice staff.

Saito quickly pulls out Derflinger and the ice monster creates two blades out of it's over arms and charges at him. The ice man brings down its left arm making Saito have to block the strike but a horizontal slash form its other arm cuts the front of his thigh. Saito tries to stay standing but the pain makes his leg buckle and it stuck on one knee try to just not get cut.

Zion creates fire around his fists and the ice man has frost floating all around his body. Zion and the monster whip their arms towards each other and the ice and fire meet in the middle of the two causing a brilliant light show as sparks of fire and shards of ice dance around them.

Seth is slugged in the gut and struck again with a backflip kick from the ice man. He stands back up and looks at his runes, not happy to find them still not active. "Shit....."

Airo catches the staff with his hands but the staff head turns into a spear and he kicks it away and dodges behind a tree to avoid getting stabbed. Airo pulls out his knives and jumps out form behind the tree but the ice man is gone. Airo turns around to make sure the monster didn't run around the tree but he is struck again from the side as the ice man begins to form out of the ice on the side of the tree. Airo rolls back to his feet and crouches so that he can move more quickly on the ice, "Great....."

Satio dodges another diagonal slash and cuts his blade right through the middle of the ice man halving him. The upper half falls to the ground but the bottom half just grows another upper half. "Oh no...."

The display of fire and ice is disrupted as Zion can't continue to use fire because of the cold air all around the area. He lets the fire die and quickly dives to the right to dodge the oncoming ice blast. He points to the ground behind the ice man and more importantly the tree as it suddenly gives and falls right on it crushing it into the ground. As the tree settles the snow and ice that launched up from the tree crashing to the ground begins to come together and reforms the ice man's body, "Not fair....."

Hina and Tabitha emerge from the snow wand-less but they have an unconscious Rain as she took the brunt of the snow wave being much closer to the middle of it than them. They look on in shock as the four warrior in front of them are having trouble with men made of ice.

Seth catches the ice man's fist but the thing jumps and connects with a kick to the back of his head making him stumble. The monster sweeps his legs and does a front flip driving what would be it's heel into his chest. Seth rolls away from the ice man as it stands back up.

"Come on, runes, I need you're help. I can't do this without my power. It's that stupid books fault for sealing my runes in the first place." Seth glances past the ice man and finds that the girls had gotten out of the snow but Rain isn't awake. The ice man lifts it's leg to hit an axe kick but Seth rolls away from it and scrambles to get his pack. He quickly opens up the pack and pulls out the book. The ice monster kicks him in the gut before he can get out the wand and nocks him away from his pack.

Airo, Saito, and Zion are all back to back as the three ice men slowly make their way towards them.

Saito looks to Zion, "What should we do?"

Derflinger interjects before Zion can speak, "You need to find out where that ice guy is. He is the one who made these things so if you get him maybe those things will stop.

Saito looks to Zion, "I need to to launch a ring out fire out from this spot."

"Why?"

"He has to be relatively close to use this magic I'm sure to protect himself he will use magic to block the flame or one of the ice men will randomly run to protect him. When that happens Airo I need you to charge at that spot and I'll follow in case you fail."

Zion crouches and then quickly thrusts his hands into the air releasing a roaring ring of fire from around the group. The ring is suddenly broken by a blast of ice. Airo charges at that spot but is tackled by two of the ice men. Saito jumps over the third as it tries to cut him down and he releases a powerful wave of his own that slams the ice mage into the ground making him lose his concentration. The two that tackled Airo turn into snow but the one attacking Seth and the one with blade arms remain.

Seth ducks a kick and uppercuts the ice man landing the first good strike he's had on the monster the whole fight and he makes it back to his pack, "I hope this works." Seth pulls out the wand and like every time before the lightning begins to encase him. The monster tries to hit him but the bolts shoot the ice man right off. The lightning's intensity increases as Seth holds onto the wand and book much longer than ever before.

_'Come on Haimere why would you have made this book like this!'_

Seth lets out a pain filled scream and a bolt of lightning strikes from the sky casting an impossible white light than incinerates the ice man nearest to Seth. A powerful blast of wind clears a majority of the snow away from the area.

Satio turns away from the blast, "What is happening!?"

Zion calls out from his place on the ground, "I don't know!!!"

As the light begins to fade so too does the wind. Until there is nothing left but a high pitched tone and Seth's body, completely covered by a white light.

As the light fades so too does the silhouette of Seth. A man stands in Seth's exact place. He is wearing white pants and a white long sleeve shirt with blue armor over his chest and shoulders and a long blue cape attached to his shoulders. His skin is a pale white and his hair is a silky straight blonde color. As he opens his eyes and looks past Saito with his hazel eyes he lifts his arm so that his palm is pointing right at the ice mage.

"Ego voco vos incendia...no!" A fire fall flies past Saito's head and connects with the ice mage incinerating him completely.

The whole area that turned to snow begins to completely disappear until everything is back the way is was originally.

Saito gets up and looks at the blonde that just incinerated a human like it was nothing, "Who are you? Where is Seth?"

The pale blonde looks at Saito with a disappointed frown, "Veneficus tribuo mihi ears intellego quod vox vocis ut dico." A ring appears around the man's throat and slowly fades away, "I'm sorry but, what did you say?"

Saito is shocked by how the man can suddenly speak the same language as him, "I asked you where is Seth?"

"Seth, oh the boy who released me from my book." The man pulls the book out from under his chest plate, "He is inside here, the wordless book, sleeping."

Zion practically yells at the man, "Well let him out."

"I'm sorry but I cannot do that, only someone who is willing can release the person in my book and I am not yet willing. He called me here, by my name."

Airo looks at the wordless book, "Your name?"

"Haimere...."

"Uhhh....my head." The group looks back and finds that Rain is slowly waking back up. She opens her eyes and at first doesn't notice the blonde, blue armored man standing before them. She looks from Airo to Zion to Saito and then takes a double take when she sees the forth man standing before her, "Who is that?"

"My name is Haimere, milady." The man bows and straightens back up.

She looks around the group again trying to find Seth, "Oh-okay, but where is Seth?"

Tabitha helps her up to her feet, "He's in the book."

"The book....THE BOOK! What's he doing in the book!?" Rain runs over and takes the book from Haimere's hands and starts flipping through the pages, "I don't see him, he's not in this book!"

"Milady," Haimere takes the book back and places it back under his chest plate, "He is in the book I assure you, you cannot see him because he is sleeping."

"Can't you wake him up?"

"He cannot be awoken until he is summoned back to this world." Haimere looks back to Zion who is quickly deems as the smartest of the group, "So tell me good sir, why have I been summoned back to this world, what threatens the stability of this planet this time?"

Zion crosses his arms and scowls at the man, "Who do you think you are?"

"The hero of course......"


	12. Chapter 12

Haimere

"The hero of course." Haimere runs a hand through his blonde hair and smiles.

Rain points her wand at him and lightning begins to spiral around the wand releasing a sound similar to birds screeching, "Let him out or I'll"

Haimere points his finger at her and a small glowing sphere of energy begins to appear, "Milady, you won't stand a chance again my magic. I ask you please stop your attempt to intimidate me." The energy from the pebble sized sphere can be felt by Airo at the back of the group.

Rain lowers her wand and the screeching lightning fades into nothingness. She drops to her knees and grabs hold of his pant leg, "please I beg you, she looks up at him with teary eyes, please let me have him."

Haimere steps back making her release his pant leg, "I simply cannot do that, no matter how much your tears weigh on my soul. He summoned me, I already explained this and I do so hate explaining myself twice." Rain stays on the ground her hands balled into fists and tears streaming down her face and wetting the ground. "Once my task is complete then I will release him from the book. This is how it must be, once summoned I must complete the task asked of me by the summoner."

Zion helps Rain back to her feet, "Then what where those symbols on his arm and how can you be here if I saw a picture of your remains in a book much older than any one of us?"

Haimere shakes his head and smiles again, "You are a very questioning bunch aren't you? The symbols on....Seth's?...Seth's arm was the symbol of the Seer. That means that he alone could summon me from the book because he fit the requirements to hold the symbol."

Rain looks at him with a scowl, "Then what was all that lightning and why couldn't he use his powers as the left arm of God?"

Haimere rubs his upper lip with his pointer finger, "The left arm of God you say? Very interesting." Haimere spins so that his back is to the group and lifts his hand so that his palm is facing at the fallen tree from the earlier fight. His brow scrunches and a blast of energy and fire strike the tree turning it into splinters.

Saito looks at the man with complete shock, "What was that!?"

Haimere turns back and takes a look at his left hand, "What do you mean this is the power of the left arm of God of course."

Zion crosses his arms, "You still haven't answered my question Haimere."

"Oh yes, how I can be here and be dead at the same time." Haimere pulls the book back out again and looks at the cover, "I died when I was still in my prime, I had saved my world, this world from the body of the Devil. When I finished my task I trapped myself in this book so that if the time arose against I could be brought back and save the world. So you see I preserved my soul but without a soul the body cannot live."

"That still doesn't answer my question and what is the body of the Devil?"

"Asking more questions before getting the original answers, that is rather childish of you Zion." Zion steps forward like he is about to fight Haimere himself but Haimere continues, "A body without a soul cannot live so my body died, those are the remains you saw in the book you read."

Rain doesn't understand how can he be here if his body is dead even if his soul lives on there is no way for him to be here without a body. He looks nothing like Seth so how can he use his body. Haimere is taller has different hair, eye, and skin color it simply makes no sense.

"Milady I see the complication you are trying to overcome. This is the body of your lover, the soul makes up a man, not the body."

"Your soul changed the way his body looked? Then what about the clothing and armor?"

Haimere closes his eyes and takes an crosses his arms, "I am a great mage, I used magic to alter his clothing so that it looked like the garb that I wore the last time I was in this world."

Zion is about to repeat his last question but Haimere cuts him off, "The body of the Devil, were you all."

Everyone looks at each other trying to see if any of them understood what he just said.

"The power to control any weapon, the power to do magic that even the void mage cannot, the perfect assassin, the power to fire blasts of magic through the hands with no knowledge of magic, and all of them rolled into one. The body of the devil, the holy knights you are the two side of the same coin. Who amoung you have never thought your powers made you special?"

No one answers his question.

"Having the power and being pure enough to help other in need is truly specail, but not everyone who has had the power where such people."

Airo thinks back to the day they met Saito, Seth said that if he wanted to Airo could be the world's greatest assassin. The points presented by Haimere seem to be firm.

* * *

Seeing that it is useless to try to pursued Haimer to leave Seth's body the group continues on their way to finding Kai. Saito finding himself and Rain in a very similar situation tries his best to consoles her though it seems impossible. She doesn't cry but every time Haimere speaks or she looks at him her eyes become teary again. Being so close to her loved one but not really because his soul has been removed and trapped in a book by the original Seer, Haimere.

They set up camp along the road instead of going off the path like normal. Rain and Saito help each other set up there tents and for the first time all day she seems to be a little better.

"Saito thank you."

"It's no problem Rain."

She does something that Saito very rarely has seen a noble do, she bows, a very small one but for Rain, a mage, a noble that means a lot even if Saito is the Gandalfr. Saito smiles and as she turns and walks away he gives her a bow. Rain enters her tent and notices that Seth's pack is still the same.

_Haimere must have left it along, though it's not exactly clothing.'_

She opens the pack and looks in, clothing and random accessories for the everyday life of Seth. Though a majority of them are shredded the pack contains a few of his shirts from earth and a different pair of pants, made of a blue denim material. She remembers the first time he wore his "blue jeans" she mocked him about the material and look. She went and bought him clothing but he still on occasion wore his earth clothing. She smiles at the thought of Seth and his odd and sometimes humorous way of doing things.

The tent flap swings open and Haimere pokes his head in unannounced, "Hello Rain."

Rain shrieks and kicks him in the forehead from her lying position and knocks him to the ground outside. She exits the tent and puts her wand to his forehead, "I don't care who you think you are, or if you are more powerful than more, if you ever enter my tent again, I will kill you."

Haimere smirks as he rubs his forehead and stands up, "I was simply going to tell you have pleasant dreams." He walks away from her and just loud enough for her to hear he whispers, "If you kill me, you kill Seth."

Rain goes back into her tent realizing the truth of what he said, his soul, Seth's body. She tries to go to sleep but finds herself unable, "What am I supposed to do Seth?


	13. Chapter 13

Kai Camp

The group continues to follow the path they have been traveling to the west trying to find Kai Tutor.

Rain looks at the faces of everyone in the group. Everyone except Haimere looks to have already been defeated. Hina and Airo have both been quieter than usual, Saito though not as depressed as before seems to find Haimere's presence draining, and Zion and Tabitha both are both have sullen looks on their faces.

_'We need Seth, how am I gonna get Haimere to go back into the book'_

Zion stops walking and signals for everyone to stop. He begins to look to both side of the road, the trees and shrubbery have made the area outside of the road almost impossible to see, "Who there!?"

Arrows begin to fly past the group in front of and behind with ropes attached to them. In a very short moment they are completely blocked from proceeding or retreating.

"Who dares enter my forest?" A man completely covered in knight armor emerges from behind a tree and walks up to the group. "Rain?" The armored man lifts the visor on his helmet and a familiar face is revealed.

"Kai?" Rain walks up to the border caused by the ropes, "Kai is that you?"

The man removes his helmet to reveal an unkept head of blonde hair and soft blue eyes. Kai lifts his hand and slices down. A group of lightly armored soldiers come out form hiding and remove the arrows, "It's good to see you Rain, where is that moron husband of yours?"

"It's a long story...."

* * *

The group is lead back to Kai's camp and Rain begins to tell the long and rather painful story of how the Holy Knights had gone to Tristain to get Saito and Louise. Then Zion married Tabitha, followed not long after but Louise's kidnapping. The story quickly goes from bad to worse.

Kai stands up, "I'm sorry to here that. Haimere it seems that you are on borrowed time. Though I must say that you are a much better sight that the foolish earth person."

Rain shakes her head and glares at Kai, "When will you accept Seth? He hasn't done anything to you."

Kai crosses his arms and looks down at Rain with a general disgust written on his face, "I will not accept him because he unlock Airo, hasn't learned his place. He never showed any respect to the nobles since he arrived in this world."

"That is no reason to hate him."

"I never actually said that I hated him."

Haimere stands up and walks away from the group.

Zion gets up and walks over to Kai, "I think I'm gonna start setting up our camp, is it alright for us to set up in this camp?"

Kai nods, "Yes, of course you can, and don't worry about any enemies, I have guards posted at all times."

Zion does a slight a bow, "Thank you Kai."

The group gets up and follows Zion to the open square in the middle of the camp.

Rain walks up to Zion and starts setting up her tent and under her breath whispers, "You feel that?"

Zion keeps working on his tent but discreetly look across the camp, "This doesn't feel good." He turns around and digs into his pack using it as an opportunity to look around the rest of the camp, "I can't see anything abnormal, but I feel like we shouldn't stay long."

Rain nods and finishes putting up her tent, "We'll ask Kai to join us in the morning and then we'll leave."

He nods and continues into his tent a muffled, "Good night."

* * *

Haimere looks up at the moon as a single tear falls from his eye, "Luna, how I miss you." As the tear falls from his chin it disappears. He continue to walk through the woods he notices a dying blue and white flower, "her favorite." He bends down a slowly moves his hand over the flower and it slowly comes back to life, "If it were only so easy."

"Maybe if you weren't such a failure then you could have brought her back to life. Now it is just too late." A man in black armor similar to Haimere's is sitting under a dead tree, "It has been a very long time Haimere."

Haimere squints and the figure begins to become visible, "Black hair, green eyes, don't tell you have a burn scar on your right arm."

"Yes Haimere, it is me, Ryu, the void dragon." Ryu's eyes seems to glow in the low light of the moon.

Haimere steps back and shakes his head, "No I defeated you already, you are dead."

Ryu pulls out a small dagger with a dragon for the handle, "You aren't the only one who had the knowledge of soul sealing. Even my little brother Griffin knew the technique and it is my understanding that he did in fact use it to seal himself in his favorite sword."

Haimere keeps his eyes on Ryu, "Yes, I had my partner put his sword with my book and wand."

Ryu raises his eye brow and crosses his arms, "Yes and now some lowly thief has his soul inside of him, not that I truly care what happens to poor little brother."

"I'm surprised, that you even call him little brother after what you caused all those years ago."

Ryu smiles, "I'm not the one who killed _our_ little brother."

Haimere lunges at Ryu and grabs him by the collar of his shirt, "Don't you dare place the blame on me, I wasn't the one who filled Griffin's head with lies about our mission. Tell me Ryu when did you start referring to me as brother again?"

Ryu reaches behind his back and pulls out a long broad sword with a katana design. Haimere crosses his hands and a beam of light begins to grow between them until it fades and a blade has formed.

"Well brother, are you prepared?"

* * *

Rain opens her eyes, to the sound of people outside trying to walk quietly. "An ambush....."


	14. Chapter 14

Brothers

Haimere and Ryu are both in their preferred stances. Haimere blade made of magic begins to glow a dull white color. With a powerful downward swing the glow launched from his blade in the form of a eagle made of white light. Ryu puts his broad katana on his shoulder and as the eagle reaches him brings his blade down on the light halving it causing the two pieces to fly past him on either side dying before hitting the ground. Ryu charges at Haimere and swings his great blade horizontally at his brother. Haimere jumps over the swing and brings his blade down. Ryu plants his sword into the ground and uses it to swing himself away from the downward slash of Haimere.

Haimere lands on the ground and quickly whips his hand in Ryu's direction fire a ball of fire. Ryu tares his sword out of the ground using his magic to create an earth wave that destroys the fire ball. Haimere runs his middle and pointer finger down the length of his sword and this causes the blade to blow an intense blue. Once again he swings his sword down this time firing a vertical wave of energy that collides with the earth wave.

The collision causes an explosion of dirt and grass and dust making it impossible to see the enemy in front of you. Haimere holds his ground and takes a defensive stance. Suddenly the end of Ryu's blade cuts through the dust and in the split second Ryu locates Haimere and then the dust closes back up.

Haimere uses wind magic to blow away the ruble but Ryu is gone when he can finally see again. Haimere quickly looks up and sees Ryu bringing down his broad katana. Haimere falls backwards so that he has time to lift his sword to block. The broad sword slams into Haimere's magic blade and cuts halfway through it. Haimere kicks Ryu away and he quickly stands back up.

"What is wrong I thought that was a magic sword?"

Haimere scowls at Ryu and the blade begins to cause heat waves around it. The damage to the sword fills back in and the blade begins to transform into a more scimitar style sword.

"What's wrong brother did I say something I shouldn't have?"

Haimere rests the sword on his shoulder and begins to walk toward Ryu, Ryu does the same. As they close the distance they both begin to pick up their pace until they are running at each other. In true swordsmen fashion they both swing once and stop a few steps past each other.

Haimere falls to a knee and holds his now bleeding side, "You cheated."

Ryu keeps his back turned but he begins to laugh as his broad blade doesn't have any blood on it but the blade he had kept concealed, a smaller faster to use long knife is dripping with Haimere's blood, "You really think I would try to beat you with my broad sword, that is an obvious thing someone with my intellect would notice as a sure to lose situation."

Haimere snaps his fingers and a small explosion sends Ryu into the air and back down hard onto his side, "You think, I wouldn't use my magic skills against someone much more skills with the sword?"

Ryu gets up and looks at his brother with a very irrupted frown. He picks up his sword and puts the knife back in his sleeve, "Well I see you have.....!"

Ryu falls to his knees and clutches at his chest, the image of Kai slowly begins to appear outside of his body.

Kai quickly calls out, "Finish it!"

Haimere gets up and prepares to fire a blast of magic but the wound in his side makes him fall back to his knees. He picks up his blade and tries to quickly make his way to Ryu but by the time he reaches him Kai's image has faded and Ryu slams his fist into Haimere's jaw knocking him to the ground.

"It seems that the one I have took over still has some kick in him, so for now how about we call this a draw brother?"

* * *

Rain quickly crawls into Zion's tent and wakes him and Tabitha.

"Rain what's wrong?" Tabitha reach puts on her glasses and and yawns.

Rain puts her finger over her lips to indicate to stay quite, "I think there is going to be an ambush.

"What?"

* * *

A soldier enters a large tent and instantly bows to a knee, "Sir we are ready."

The man turns around and reaches for his sword, "Good, tell the archers to wait until I say so."

"Sir." The soldier gets up and goes off to relay the message.

The man looks into a mirror at his image. His short brown hair is damp with sweat. "Lord guide me..." He turns and exits the tent and makes his way to the center of the camp.

Another random soldier trots over to the man, Captain Hahn, we are waiting your order."

Hahn looks at the random soldier, "I know that."

The blunt statement leaves the soldier stuck and without comment.

"Holy Knights we have you surrounded come out!" Captain Hahn waits and finds himself becoming irritated with the lack of response from the tents. Hahn looks at a group of soldiers and nods towards the tents urging them to approach the tents.

The groups of soldiers run over to the tents and tear them all down but there is nothing inside.

Hahn looks at his soldiers and then turns to the one closest to him, "I want you to find the soldiers that where guarding the tents before we started mobilizing, if they aren't dead, I would prefer them to be."

The soldier is unable to speak as he was one of the guards.

* * *

The group make their way away from the camp.

Airo is leading the group and Zion is right behind him so that if he sees anything Airo can react quick enough to stop any attackers. "Airo stop."

the sound of cough comes from a behind a small group of trees.

Airo uses his speed to quickly sprint around the tree but after a moment of silence he calls everyone else over to him.

Haimere is sitting on the ground against one of the trees his white shirt stained red with blood, "It is good that you've found me."

Hina kneels down and looks at his side, "What happened to you?"

Haimere takes in a labored breath, "Your friend, Kai...he has been taken over by my brother."

"What do you mean?"

"Just like I have been summoned from my book by Seth, my little brother Ryu has been summoned, though I don't know the item that he sealed his soul into. Kai saved my and Seth's life this night."

Rain takes the last thing he said very seriously, "How did he save Seth's life?"

Haimere uses the tree to stand up, "If I died, then this body would naturally be dead. If this body dies then Seth would have no body to return to. He would be trapped in the book until someone else summoned him."

Zion puts his hand over the wound and applies pressure making Haimere grown in pain. Before Haimere can let out a more painful sound Zion removes his hand and the wound while no completely healed, is now closed, "I did this for Seth, not for you."

Haimere smiles, "Whether it be for him or not, the enemy now is that much stronger, my brother is very smart and just as powerful as me in many aspects. We should continue north. Perhaps we can get to the dark army before the devil's heart."


	15. Chapter 15

Twilight

The following days have been the most difficult not because the enemy had begun to send more powerful fighters quite the opposite. In the last five days of travel no one has attacked them. Many people would consider that to be a good thing but being left with their own thoughts and fears is much worse for the Holy Knights. The attackers were a way to release a way to forget now with no new enemies they are forced to hold their anxiety inside of them. The thoughts they all shared but didn't openly talk about like how can they fight an army of one hundred trained warriors and mages. What happens if they lose.

The hardest question to come to terms with for Saito unlike the rest is what if he is forced to draw his sword against Allison, against Louise, can he save her, is she already too far gone to be saved, how could he be sure?

While all these questions began to float around in their heads they all became much more hostile towards each other for very small things. Rain though admitting to herself that Haimere did save her life and deep down is thankful for that still holds a powerful grudge against him. Her husband has been trapped in a book with no words, Haimere's book for close to a month now. Haimere doesn't even seem to notice the fact that he has taken the thing most important to Rain and locked it away and most painful of all he is close enough to reach out and take but there is no way for them to be together. She isn't like Seth and Haimere, she doesn't have the runes that they both do. The book doesn't work for her.

The group finally reaches a city though once inside they begin to notice that there are many buildings but few people. The amount of people would only be enough to fill a small village. Rain stops at a fruit stand of to the side of the main road and waits for someone to appear from behind the tattered curtain of a door that separates the front of the stand from the back.

A little girl no older than sever by her size comes out, "Can I help you?" Her voice is rough a gravel like which seems impossible for someone of such an age. Her hair is a mess of browns and her clothing ripped and tattered, a small scarf is wrapped around her throat and it lightly moves is the wind.

At first Rain doesn't know how to react to such a sight, she has seen this kind of thing before but this seems different, not like all the times before, "Is there an adult I can speak to sweetie?"

The little girl shakes her head and begins to rub her hands together, "No, they are all gone...away."

The girls answer is the exact opposite of what she was expecting, how can there be no adults. Rain thinks for a moment and realizes that maybe she misunderstood the question, "Is there a grown up somewhere that I can talk to?"

The little girl whips her arms down to her sides her little hands clenched into tight fists, "NO!" She turns and runs into the back of the stand and through the back into the heavily damaged building behind it.

Rain walks back over to the group and Zion looks very distraught, "Zion what is wrong?"

Zion's hands are trembling, "I used my eye to try and find an adult in this whole area, there are none. But there are a lot of bodies, and a lot of magic traces."

"What do you mean?"

Zion walks away from the group and doesn't stop so they follow him. He reaches a plot of land that looks like people have been recently farming, "Here, there are so many bodies."

Rain looks down at the ground and realizes that this isn't a plot of land to be farmed but a large burial ground, "Oh my god......."

Zion kneels down his hair damp with a cold sweat, "There aren't any males in this.....Only women and girls."

Tabitha walks over to Zion and wraps her arms around his body as he begins to break down and cry.

"Why, what would the point be of this, why kill so many, they are all women and girls they couldn't have been fighting back." Zion's body begins to shakes as he slowly begins to completely lose himself.

"HEY WHO ARE YOU!!!!???"Airo turns to the voice and sees a young boy maybe ten years old or a little older. His clothing is just as destroyed as the little girls before only he has armor pieces on his left shoulder, right wrist, and his left knee. His hair is a red mess and long passed his shoulders, a piece a rope used to keep it all together. "ANSWER ME!" The boy reaches behind his back and pulls a metal pipe out from behind him. The end has been smashed into a sharp point, "ANSWER ME!"

The boy charges at the group and Airo steps forward and draws one of his knifes. The boy tries to stab Airo but he side steps the point and pushes it down into the ground with his knife. The boy pole vaults over Airo and lands on his feet, impressing Airo in the process. He charges against with time he twirls the pole around his body and everywhere trying to hit Airo after making him lose track of where the pole is. In a flash the pole is caught in his hand and Airo wrenches is from the kid and throws it away. With a scowl the boy runs at Airo and swings at his gut but catches nothing as Air once again easily dodges the attack. The boy stops as he notices behind Airo there are three women.

"You have women with you.....Who are you!?"

Airo kneels down, "We are the Holy Knights and we aren't your enemy."

The boy seems to relax a bit but keeps his eyes on Airo, "Why are you here!?"

Airo puts his knife away, "We are passing through, we are headed to the northern peninsula."

The boy turns and walks away, "Then leave...."

Airo gets off his knees and rejoins the group, "I think we should leave."

Tabitha helps Zion to his feet and the group leaves the town though it is tough leaving the children there is nothing they can do for them. Before the city is completely out of sight Airo turns back and takes one last look.

From the highest building in the all but abandoned city the boy his armor cast aside watches as the group disappears into the horizon, "Good luck....."


	16. Chapter 16

Fall from Light

The sun rises on the small group of warriors and mages. They find themselves walking through destroyed town after town, very rarely finding any living beings. The first town the came to at least had a few children in it but now there are just destroyed buildings and burnt corpses that remain. Still though there has been no attack and no clear sign of an attack happening to a village around them. It is almost like the army went south till they were in the central area and then backtracked destroying every town no matter its size or defenses.

The silence is enough to drive anyone insane, which isn't really the problem. The reason for the silence is very troublesome to Zion and Airo who notice it first. Even animals would come back eventually there would be some sound even after the destruction of a town but only silence.

Haimere quickly runs in front of the group and raises a shield of condensed magic. A powerful blast of air and earth slam into his shield and over powers him destroying his shield into shimmer shards. A large dragon lands on the ground twenty feet away and a familiar group of four people climb off.

Rain and Hina both point there wands towards the four and each launch a blast of wind and fire that intertwine and spiral together as it flies at the four. Allison points her wand at the blast and an explosion completely negates the attack. Rain and Hina move aside as Tabitha launches her specialty a large pointed junk of ice flies at the group and once again it is easily dealt with by Allison.

Helious walks in front of the group and slams his fist into the ground causing a large wave of energy charge at the Holy Knights. Haimere makes a hand sign and puts his middle and pointer finger together and points at the blast. Allison points her wand at Haimere, "Dispel."

Haimere falls to the ground and clutches at his chest. Airo grabs him and they quickly try to avoid the blast. Zion uses his rune magic to completely compress the blast but he quickly becomes winded from using such a high level magic. Helious charges at Zion and connects with an upper cut that sends him flying into the air and back down onto his side. Helious drives his foot into Zion's gut and begins to press down. Airo leaves Haimere behind a tree and charges at Helious using his speed to disappear from sight. Airo reappears behind Helious and is about to slam his knives into Helious' back but he quickly has to get away as Sara tries to cut him open with her now transformed blade arm. Airo looks past Sara and Helious is still pinning Zion to the ground.

Sara smiles a big toothy grin, "You need to worry about yourself, we aren't going to be called away this time."

She charges at Airo and brings his arm down of his knifes easily cutting them in half. Airo rolls away and springs into the air and tries to connect with a back flip soccer style kick but the attack is blocked and countered with a punch to the face the makes Airo flip to much and land on his gut. Saito charges at Sara and tries to cut her in half with a horizontal slash but she flips over his attack and stabs her blade hand into his shoulder barely missing the bone.

Tabitha creates her ice attack and launches it. Helious grins and brings his fist back, Hina quickly hits the ice with a burst of wind making it's speed increase. Helious has no chance to dodge or hit the ice away. Another explosion goes off a few feet from Helious. The smoke clears and small ice shards like snow flakes fall to the ground. In response Helious applies more pressure to the foot that is pinning Zion to the ground.

Rain runs over to Haimere who is on the ground clutching at his chest and he has begun to sweat heavily darkening his blonde hair, "What is going on!?"

Haimere coughs out a, "Who is she?"

"Louise, the Void Mage."

"Void Mage......Rain you are going to get your wish but I fear what this may mean." Haimere's body begins to fade and reappear, "She has dispelled the magic that keeps my soul in this body."

A flash similar to when Haimere was first summoned explodes from his body and high into the heaves knocking Rain back and burns the tree Haimere was behind.

The light distracts Saito and Airo, leaving them open to by cut once again by Sara's blades. The fourth man, Arimus walks over to Helious and waits to see what is happening.

Rain can't look up at the light as it is too bright at such a close proximity. The light turns black and begins to grow then explodes. Unlike before no one is standing where the light had shined.

Helious scowls, "What do you suppose that was Arimus?" Helious receives no answer he looks down at his much shorter ally. A blade is sticking out of his chest and Arimus is quickly bleeding out. Before Helious can move he is kicked in the throat knocking him off of Zion and the blade is ripped up wards cutting Arimus in half from the chest up. Zion opens his eyes and finds Seth standing close to him except he is now wearing a black jacket and his hair is hanging just below his chin and he is welding a sword.

Zion stands up and puts his hand on Seth's shoulder, "Seth, welcome back!"

Seth reaches up with and grabs onto the top of Zion's hand. The metal from the gauntlets begin to cut into Zion's skin and Seth forcefully removes the hand from his shoulder. His eyes are green again but they aren't the same friendly eyes that Zion remembers. Seth walks past Zion and continues towards Helious.

Helious gets back up, a line of blood snaking its way from his mount to his chin, "You little bastard I'll get you for that cheap shot!" Seth looks up at him and smirks. Helious becomes further enraged and brings his arm back as he draws energy into his fist. He brings down the fist with more speed than normal but the attack doesn't hit Seth.

Helious begins to rapidly try to hit Seth but his attacks are either dodged or blocked. Seth finally puts his sword away and dodges one more attack and then jumps connecting his fist with Helious' jaw. Helious flips in the air and lands on the ground but Seth is already within striking distance and hits him again with a powerful straight punch right into Helious' nose breaking it. Helious doesn't seem effected by the attack and counters with a left that knocks Seth down onto his hands and knees. Helious goes to punt Seth in the skull but Seth slams his fist into Helious' leg knocking him down onto his knees. Seth stands up and connects with a spinning heel kick knocking Helious over onto his side. Seth begins to stomp on Helious until he is nothing more than a bloody mess in the shape of a human.

After he has his fill Seth grabs hold of Helious' hair and lifts him onto his knees and once again draws his sword. Seth turns his back to Helious and lifts the blade so that the flat of the blade is resting against his forehead. He mutters something and spins, the blade cuts through the neck skin and spine like it wasn't even there. Seth wipes the blood from the blade with a piece of Helious' cloak and then turns his attention to Allison.

The fact that Helious and Arimus are both dead doesn't seem to bother Sara as she continues to toy with Saito and Airo. She has them both cut up quite badly but they continue to fight back. Saito charges at her and then his eyes catch something he deems more important and begins to run away from Sara catching her attention.

Seth is standing over Allison her wand a few feet from reaching distance and his sword is above his head ready to be brought down. She is on the ground staring up with terrified eyes and as the blade comes down she screams, "SAITO!!!!!!!"

The sound of steel slamming into steel rings throughout the area. Saito is down on one knee barely having fended off the strength of Seth's swing. Allison faints from shear terror and that leaves only one of the four cloaked left. Sara quickly snaps her fingers freezing everyone, except Seth and Saito.

"WHAT!?"

Seth looks away from Satio and over at Sara his face showing much more than irritation, "That won't work on me, or anyone in contact with me."

Saito gets up and looks at Sara from behind Seth, "You are going to pay for what you did to Louise."

Sara runs over to the dragon and abandons Allison. The further away she gets the weaker the freeze magic gets until everyone is unfrozen again.

Rain runs at Seth and gives him a huge hug, "I've missed you so much!"

Seth doesn't say anything in response and more importantly to Rain he doesn't hug her back.

Rain looks up at his eyes now slightly hidden by his longer hair, "What is wrong, are you okay."

He jams his blade back into its holder, "Let's just say that being trapped inside of book all by myself has made me a little bitter. While in that book I finally got to see the words, all of the words. I read everything many times. I have gain much more knowledge about this world and what my powers can allow me to do just by simply wanting it." Seth removes his gauntlets and holds them in front of his chest, they glow and disappear into his skin. "I have learned that the man that was parading around in my body had killed his littlest brother and very nearly killed his only other brother. He tried to kill both of his brothers and you let him have my body."

Rain almost begins to explain what was happening but Seth stops her, "I don't care, I finally have my body back and we can finally be the Holy Knights again."

The air of normal-ness begins to slowly grow over everyone until they her the groaning of a passed out Allison, or Louise.


	17. Chapter 17

Split Decision

Seth turns back around and looks down at Saito who is cradling Louise or Allison, it seems that a lot has happened since he had been gone. Saito looks up at him, his eyes are filled with a kind of rage that can't truly be understood. Seth knows that he almost killed her and very nearly killed him as well. Seth puts his left hand into his pocket and his right hand on the hilt of his sword.

Rain rests her forehead against his back and brings his hands up resting against his chest, "I've missed you so much."

Seth finally relaxes and spins around and wraps his arms around his wife and whispers into her ear, "I love you too." He rests his head on the top of her head.

Saito lifts Louise into a piggy back position, "What are we going to do now?"

Seth lets go of Rain and looks at everyone in the group. The feeling of having an entire group of people waiting for you to make a decision seems a lot harder than before, "I guess we need to find a village, try and find some supplies, then we need to get this army take care of. Zion can you see if you can help out Louise. I think what ever they did to her should be easy enough to take care of with your power."

Zion steps past Seth and is now within reaching distance to Saito who is still holding Louise, his eyes conveying his passion to protect her, "Don't worry friend."

Saito closes his eyes and slowly lowers his love back to the ground. Zion grabs a stick and draws a circle around Louise and draws a few more littler symbols inside the circle. He closes his eyes and claps his hands together and the circle glows a light blue and wind begins to spin around the outside of the circle. Zion opens his eyes and his rune becomes visible inside his eye. The circle begins to shot small lightning bolts from random places. Zion stretches his arms out to either side and speaks in a whispers and Louise's body begins to lift from the ground.

The spectacle ends almost seemingly too soon considering what was happening. Zion turns and nods to Saito and he walks over to her and picks her back up.

"Is she okay?" Saito looks from his sleeping love to Zion his expression changing from lover to worry between people.

Zion scratches at the side of his head, "I did what I could do."

Saito finds the answer to be not what he was looking for, "Well that is kinda obvious Zion, is she gonna be okay?"

Zion searches his vocabulary to find the right words but, "The damage wasn't direct magic" comes out and instantly he knows that isn't the right words. He crosses his arms and tries to think how to put it without making Saito get to emotional, especially towards him.

"Zion stop...." Seth puts a hand on Zion's shoulder and looks sternly at him, "It won't make a difference if you use soft words."

Zion though not entirely sure that he likes the new Seth agrees with him, "The magic I used wasn't for just healing it was for.......scanning. Basically I use it as a way to find out how to undo certain kinds of injuries, you know, no point in healing the skin if the bone is broken." Saito nods at the example, "When I used the magic I learned something a little troubling, she wasn't really physically abused and not really hurt through magical uses."

"Zion I don't understand what you are saying, did she choose to join them?" Zion doesn't answer the question that to Saito seems obvious.

Once again Seth voices his opinion, "Just because she wasn't hurt through magic she could have been, persuaded. They probably used the facts and twisted them until they broke her. Once that would be done, it would be rather easy to make someone do things that are, out of character." Seth turns back and looks at Rain like he is trying to tell her something.

Saito holds Louise tight to him, "I'm just glad to have her back."

* * *

The group decide that it would be best if they just rested for the remaining hours of sunlight and start again tomorrow. Seth takes out his sword and cuts down a tree and proceeds to cutting it into pieces that can be burt or sat on. Rain lights one on fire and takes a seat next to Seth.

The rest of the group is all gone or already sleeping leaving Seth and Rain.

"Seth I'm sorry, I was trying so hard to figure out how to get Haimere back in the book, I'm sorry it took so long."

"It's fine."

"Fine?"

"Yeah...."

Seth seems to be detached from the conversation but Rain decided to continue to push it, "Are you angry?"

"No..."

His short answers remind Rain of a certain wind mage in the group but writes it off, "What was it like inside the book?" Seth takes in a deep breath and leans forward resting his arms across his legs, "I'm sorry, if you don't want to talk about it."

"The words were on the inside."

"Huh?"

"The inside of the book from this point would have nothing inside it, but where I was had a lot of words, stories, spells. I learned so many things, so many spells but I can only remember a few of them now, like my gauntlet spell and how to dispel time freezing spells." Seth runs a hand through his much longer hair, "I also forgot a lot of things, about home. I don't remember my best friends name anymore, I don't remember my school name, I can't remember a lot of stuff that would normally seem pretty insignificant."

"Did you forget anything about me?"

"No....."

The question makes all the talking come to a screeching halt until Rain asks a question that she has to hear the answer to, "Do you still love me."

"Rain, I'll never stop loving you.........what a stupid question." Seth smiles at his own remark and Rain notices some of the changes to Seth besides the outer changes like his clothing and hair.

_'He forgot things about his life before he came here, he forgot things that make him who he is, how sad'_

"Rain, one more thing, don't worry about it."

Don't worry about it. The last words Seth says before he slides down to the ground and closes his eyes. Rain walks over and snuggles into him until he wraps his arm around her shoulders bringing her ever closer to him.

_'Don't worry about it, maybe he hasn't changed that much'_

* * *

Saito is sitting under a tree with Louise lying in his lap as he runs his hand through her hair. She begins to stir and Saito stops. She doesn't get up but Saito can tell that she just woke up. Her breathing begins to increase. Saito moves he hand away from her head as she sits up. Saito just stays quiet as her should begin to tremble and she begins to cry.

"You idiot......You didn't come for me....You said you'd always protect me......You said you loved me..."

Saito can't reason with her because he has already lost, she is right. He didn't come for her he let himself be convinced that there were more important things. He couldn't fulfill his promise he didn't protect her. The only one of the things she said that he could fight against was that he does love her and he hasn't stopped thinking about her since they were separated.

A hand strikes him across the face and is quickly followed but the other, "I knew it!" She brings her hand back again to strike him but this time he catches her by the wrist. She begins to try and wrench her hand free, "LET GO!!!" Saito looks at her his face already turning red from the slaps and his eyes filled with sadness. She continues to struggle and stands up. Saito lets go of her wrist as she kicks him in the side. The kick makes him double over in pain as he was hurt. Louise didn't notice before but his blue coat is torn to shreds revealing wounds all over Saito's body. As she looks she notices his shoulder is still bleeding. Louise kneels down next to the physically and morally beaten Saito and tears a piece of the black cloak she is wearing and puts it on Saito's should to soak up the blood.

"I'm sorry, I tried so hard, I fail you, I'm sorry."


	18. Chapter 18

Drawing Near

As the sun rises Saito opens his eyes and finds that Louise, while isn't right next to him but at least she is sitting under the same tree which causes a sigh of relief and a placid feeling wash over him, "Thank god, she didn't run away." Saito looks down at his shirt it has been torn to shreds by Sara and other various fights it seems that this will be one of the last days his signature blue jacket will be with him or at the least on him. While looking at his destroyed coat he notices that there are black strips of fabric wrapped around all his body. Saito glances back at Louise's cloak, hardly anything is left of it.

Saito gets up and though it hurts he takes a long big stretch. As he finishes he knows that there is a problem that is going to need handling. He looks back at the camp and notices that Rain is laying in the same place as she was but Seth isn't there, "Wonder where he went....."

The sound of a stick snapping draws his attention away from the camp, Seth is standing almost defiantly, away from Saito. He lifts his arm and makes a simply gesture with his hand prompting Saito to follow him. After five minutes Seth stops walking, they have arrived at a floor plan of a destroyed building. It looks like a poor man's fighting arena, if this is the place Seth chooses then why question is.

"Saito, I know you are still very angry at me. I understand but you need to understand that I look at you as a kind of rival in many different ways. You came to this world the same way, you have saved the world without the need for Airo and Zion, something I have never done." Seth looks down at his left hand and slowly clenches it into a fist, "I don't hate you, I just want you to know that."

Saito takes off his torn blue coat revealing a white tank top and a bunch of black strips of cloth around his shoulder and his right forearm, "This wouldn't have happened if you didn't nearly kill Louise."

"Allison....."

Saito draws Derflinger, "Louise."

Saito charges at Seth and brings the blade down missing Seth as he rolls out of the way. Seth stands up and whispers something. His hands begin to glow until the light fades and his gauntlets are back around his hands again. Seth removes his black coat and draws his blade. Saito charges again and this time both of them slam their blades into the other, the blades shooting off sparks and a loud screech like sound echoes from the blades clashing. Seth pushes Saito back and tries to hit him with a kick but Saito spins around the blade and slams the handle bottom of his sword into Seth's gut. Seth steps back and smirks.

Satio stands back up, "Well, are you going to take this seriously?"

Seth slams his blade into the ground, "Yes."

Seth charges in and blocks Saito's blade with his gauntlet but the strength from the attack forces Seth to the side and effectively misses his counter punch. Seth slams his fist into the ground to stop his skidding and quickly gets within Saito's swinging distance. Seth slams both of his fists into Saito's gut with saolin like strike. Seth stands up and plants his feet and blocks the next swing without skidding and spins connecting with a heel kick knocking Saito off balance. Seth follows up with a leg sweep making Saito fall to his back. Seth goes to punch Saito in the gut but he quickly kicks Seth in the gut giving him time to stand back up. Seth flips backwards creating more space and whips his left hand forward releasing a snaking blast of energy that slams right into Saito's blade. At first he struggles but he quickly forces the blast away from his body and it crashing into the ground behind him. As the smoke hides his body Saito gets his breath as that attack was very difficult to fend off. Seth suddenly rushes into the smoke and rams into Saito knocking out of the back of the dust and smoke cloud. Saito rolls with the momentum and ends up back on his feet. Saito raises Derflinger above his head and swings down creating a blast of wind, something he has never done before, and blows away the cloud. Seth isn't inside the cloud though Saito quickly looks up and moves away from the free falling Seth who slams his fist into the ground. Saito runs at Seth while he is getting his fist out of the ground and spins gaining momentum for his horizontal slash. The blade slams into Seth free arm, his right arm and the impact sends him slamming and rolling across the whole expanse of the destroyed floor they are fighting on. Seth slowly stands up, his arms covered in cuts from the destroyed ruble and glass from when the building fell. Seth kneels down and spits out some blood from his bleeding lip and then stands back up. Saito runs at Seth again and this time jumps into the air and releases a powerful roar. Seth looks up at Saito as Derflinger begins to glow a bright blue and he, smiles. Saito brings the blade down and the path of the slash creates a blast of blue light that slams into Seth who slowly overpowers the blast and causes it to dissipate.

Saito looks at his blade surprised by what just happened, "What was that."

Before he has any more time to ponder on the happening he is struck across the face and he falls to a knee, "Are you gonna take this seriously?"

Saito whips his blade upward nearly catching Seth's jaw. Seth rolls backwards so that he is outside of Saito's reach.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?"

The two of them look away from each other and find Rain and Louise are both standing only a few yards away and are both clearly out of breath. Rain walks up to Seth and slaps him across the face the strike appearing much worse do to his already cut lip, "What are you doing attacking Saito?"

Louise walks over to Saito slugs him right in the chest, "What is wrong with you BAKA!?" Louise grabs hold of his shirt and pulls him closer to her and she wraps her arms around his midriff, "I was scared."

Saito looks at Seth who is in turn looking at him like he had done this on purpose.

_'He couldn't have, we could've killed each other'_

Seth walks away for a moment and retrieves his sword from the ground and picks up his coat. As he is walking back he also picks up Saito's torn up coat and tosses it to Saito, "Here."

Saito catches the coat and drapes it over his shoulder, "We where just sparring girls, really."

They both look at Saito, hand on hips and eyebrows raised, "Really."

Seth answers back with a, "Really," and they look at each other with stern eyes but they still nod in agreement.

Rain grabs Seth's hand and starts walking back to camp, "Well you to should really tell someone when you are gonna go off and do that."

Louise doesn't take Saito's hand but they follow Rain and Seth, together.

Once they make is back to the make shift camp they "apologize" to everyone and the group continues north. The further they go the more destroyed villages they end up coming across smoke has begun to darken the early morning sky making it seem like the sun has already set.

After another hour they come to a town that still seems to be fine, none of the building are burnt down and nothing seems to be out of the ordinary beside the lack of people walking the streets. Only one of two every couple of minutes which seems strange considering the size of the town.

One woman notices the travelers and drops what she is carrying and runs into a nearby house.

Suddenly a large group of men come out of the house and stand in a line that crosses the entire road. A man with dark red hair walks in front of the line and removes his spear from his back, "Are you the Holy Knights?"

Seth looks across the group to Zion and he shrugs back at him. The idea that some random man knows their name when so few people do and the majority of the people who know is in fact in the group. Seth shrugs and replies, "Yeah that's us."

"Ryu sends his condolences, he says we should be more than enough to take care of you weaklings." Seth finds this information to be very troubling if Ryu who has Kai's body tells all of Germania who the Holy Knights are then they would lose a large amount of the secrecy that they are so used to.

The man takes his spear off his back and points at the group, "Surround!"

A bunch of large groups of people start coming out of allies and houses until they completely surround the Knights.

Seth steps forward and draws his sword. Saito walks up next to him and draws his sword as well the unique ringing of both blades fill the air. Seth looks back of the rest of the group, "Me and Saito got this bunch you guys divide up the rest okay?"

The group of ambushers charge into the group. Louise quickly reaches for her wand but finds that she doesn't have one anymore. Rain steps in front of Louise and releases a blast of wind slowing the attackers in that direction allowing Airo to use the wind to take down four on one pass through them. Zion and Tabitha stand back to back and with her wand and his magic they launch a ball of ice that explodes stabbing into the men within its' range. Hina kneels down and puts her wand on the ground and turns the hard dirt road into soft sand drastically slowing the oncoming attackers.

Seth ducks under a slash and connects with an uppercut while Saito cuts down a man about to stab Seth in the back, "Seth did you do that on purpose?"

Seth blocks a knife thrust and slams his fist into the attacker's jaw, "Did I do what on purpose?"

Saito scoffs at the questions as he shoves a man away from him and cuts his down. Seth jumps up and lands on Saito's shoulder just long enough to jump even higher. He removes his gauntlet and aims his palm toward the middle of the group of attackers. A blast of flaming energy slams into the middle of the group and explodes taking care of a lot of the enemy with one attack.

Airo pulls out is knifes and stabs to men that where running behind him Airo falls forward dodging two men who in turn decapitate the two men that Airo stabbed earlier. Airo kips up to his feet and spins cutting open both of the men's throats and he lets them fall to the ground as he has finally finished his group of attackers.

Zion makes use of Hina's sand ground attack and launches a bunch of condensed air pockets and hits a large group of men with one each. Hina then re-hardens the ground trapping them in the road. Tabitha uses her wind specialty to create a whirlwind lifting the remaining attackers into the air and rather unceremoniously she releases the magic making them all fall back down to the ground.

After the last man hits the ground the red haired leader slowly gets back to his feet a large gash allowing blood to cascade down his forehead and down to his jaw, "What are you people?"

Seth looks at the man with a look of tolerance, "I'm surprised you are still alive, more so that you are still conscious."

The man begins to spins his spear over his head creating a powerful wind around his body. Hina steps ahead of Seth and launches a blast of air into his whirl wind and Airo throws his knife right behind the air wave. Her air hits his whirl wind and creates a small pocket. Airo's knife goes through the pocket like they have practiced this before and the blade sticks into the man's chest and he falls backwards to the ground.

Seth looks at Hina and Airo and finds what they did very impressive, "That was really cool." Hina's face turns red at the odd compliment and Airo just shrugs and goes and fetches his knife.

Seth turns back to the rest of the group, "We are almost there."

Saito puts his sword back into its holder, "How do you know that?"

Seth points up and with a smirk he says, "Because all the smoke is behind us now. Why would he burn down the living quarters of his soldiers?"

"But we just beat like fifty guys you said he only keeps one hundred soldiers." Saito's point makes a lot of sense but this time Tabitha has an answer to that.

"The men from that deserted town, if would be foolish for any leader to only have one hundred soldiers, he has obviously been using magic to force normal people to join his army."

Saito nods in agreement, "Yeah I guess you are right those guys where kinda unskilled and besides that last guy none of them seemed to know any magic."

Rain walks up to Seth and rubs her finger across a new cut on his cheek, "It would seem that he has his one hundred best closest to him. Maybe even the ones that were ranked that come before where actually ones that had been replaced by more powerful warriors. If that is the case then this might be even more difficult."

Seth rests his arm across Rain's shoulders, "Well I actually have an idea for that but we really need to find Louise a wand for this to work."


	19. Chapter 19

Against the wave

The closer they get to the Germanian Castle the less and less it feels like they are really about to go to war against so many people. Every village they come across has been empty expect a few that have been transformed into manufacturing towns. Countless people smithing weapons and armor for their enemies. At first it seemed like the best idea would be to just destroy the plants but that would cause unnecessary fighting and blood shed of from the looks of them poor commoners that have been forced into the work and have stayed because of fear.

Thanks to the lack of people it proved to be very easy to find a new wand for Louise, an all black wand made from a power wood like material.

After they get the wand Saito finally asks what Seth has in mind for Louise, "Seth what is this plan of yours? You said first we would need to get her a wand and now she has one."

Seth doesn't stop walking, "I know about her void mage power and how difficult it is for her to use but to put it simply, I want her to use her power on that army. I don't need her to kill them but if she could dispel all there magic that would be very helpful."

Louise leans forward a little so she can see around Saito, "Wouldn't it be easier to use the void magic on the army?"

"No because if you kill a lot of them with your void magic that still means the rest of them can over power us by having so many mages. With my power to counteract the dispel effects we can keep our magic but they will lose theirs." Seth's mouth spreads into a prideful smile, thinking his plan has no holes.

"What if I can't...."

The statement makes Seth come to a dead stop, "What?"

"What if I can't use the dispel magic to such a large degree?" Louise looks down at her wand, "I am known as Louise the Zero......I have never casted a spell completely on purpose and have it work."

Seth turns around and looks at the morally belittled Louise, "We have confidence in you after this battle you will be know as Louise the One.....Sure it sounds bad but we have time to think of a better one."

Saito puts his hands on her shoulders, "Louise just remember that you are the void mage and everything will be fine we all believe in you, especially me, you've saved me on more than one occasion are you saying you did that on accident?"

"Well no but......."

Rain takes her hands and lifts them up, "Don't worry about it, okay." A big smile appears on Louise's and Rain's face.

"Okay I'll do my best."

The sound of footsteps can be heard behind the group. The teen's face is mostly covered by his hair and a long scarf that flows behind him. A sword on his back looks extremely familiar, the Excamasa.

"Griffin?"

The boy looks looks up from looking at the ground and notices the group, "Who?"

Seth sprints past everyone and tackles Griffin to the ground and puts his blade against his throat, "Why are you here Griffin!?"

The teenager begins to breath very quickly in small bursts, "My name is Cole!!!!"

The voice is different......Seth gets off of the teenager and looks at the sword on his back, "You are the person who Griffin took over aren't you?"

The teen stays on the ground but nods slowly.

"How did you get him out of your body?"

"He is still in there but we've come to an understanding, I'll help him if he let's me have my body for the majority of the time." Cole finally gets off the ground and brushes himself off, "Griffin has decided that he doesn't want to kill you all, yet."

Seth slams his blade back home, "What do you mean yet?"

Cole starts waving his hands in front of them, "No no no no no no that's not what I meant, you talks kinda strange and what he means is that he has come to think of you as a rival since you and Haimere shared the body for a while just like me and Griffin."

Seth raises an eyebrow at the statement, "How does he know about that?"

"He said he could feel it, he felt his oldest brother return to the world and he felt your aura disappear from it. He also felt when his middle brother returned. That's when he decided he'd fight you later."

Saito walks up beside Seth and gives Cole a look down and up, "Why would that make him change his mind so easily."

Cole looks down at the ground again, "Because Ryu tricked Griffin into attacking Haimere, he turned against them both and nearly got them all killed."

Seth looks on completely confused, "What are you talking about, Haimere killed both of his brothers. I read it!"

Cole closes his eyes and opens them again showing different colored eyes, "Hello, Seth."

"Griffin...." Seth becomes very tense and rests his hand on the handle of his blade.

"Big bro thought he killed us, he wounded us and then left. He could bring himself to kill us so he thought we died." Griffin crosses his arms and looks away from the group, "We learned how to transplant our souls into inanimate objects to that we could later be brought back if we could find someone willing to take our souls into their bodies. Haimere was the best at magic and so his transplant spell was flawless so when he came back him body was completely returned and the person couldn't fight his will. Ryu was better at it than me but not as good as big bro. That's why when he returned his body was complete but if he inhabited a strong enough person they could fight back. The last being me its pretty obvious how good I was at it, all that changes on this kid are the eyes and the voice. Luckily for me he didn't really put up much of a fight until recently now we basically share this body until my goals are complete." He looks back at Seth, "Understand?"

Seth nods but he doesn't remove his hand from the blade handle, "So what you intend on killing your brother?"

Griffin smirks and nods, "That's the idea."

Saito looks back at the rest of the group, "You think you are gonna come us?"

Before Griffin can answer Seth answers for him, "Because we don't allow people to join if they have tried to kill more than one of us on more than one occasion, I think you can understand."

Griffin scratches at his neck, "I think I can, I wasn't planning on joining you, I just wanted to catch up and left you know that if you see me before this is all finished, I'm not gonna try to kill you, after........You can expect to see me."

Seth turns around and joins the group again, "Fine we won't try to kill you until after this is done as well, you have my word as the leader of the Holy Knights."

Griffin makes a shocked face and then mockingly bows at them doing a small curtsy, "My Lord." Griffin stands back up and walks off into the forrest on the other side of the road and out of sight.

Seth shakes his head, "Geeze......"

The group continues down the road feeling a little more uneasy with the fact that they are going to take Griffin's word about not trying to kill them.


	20. Chapter 20

Resolve

The group finally reaches the site of the final battle, it seemed odd that it would be so easy to get close enough to the army but from first glance there seems to be not many archers. More than likely a majority of the warriors in the one hundred army are weapon specialists and a smaller number are triangle class mages or better. The group stands a few hundred yards away from a large force.

Seth looks across the group, "Is everyone ready?" Saito draws his sword, Airo pulls out his knives and the rest of the group nods, "Here we go....."

The men lead the way walking towards the army silently noting that there are a lot more than just one hundred soldiers but once again, it would be foolish to think that someone looking to completely take over the world would eventually accumulate more soldiers.

Seth hands begin to tremble he quickly uses his magic to cover them with his gauntlets. Saito notices the event and whispers to him, "You okay."

"I don't want to die.......I'd love to wake up tomorrow and be able to see everyone. It's hard to be a hero when you die..." Seth smiles, a smile that means nothing remotely close to happiness. He whispers back to Saito, "I'm sorry about Louise, If you want to you can stay back and guard her and the rest of the girls."

Saito shakes his head, "They will be fine we need to do our part so that they can do theirs."

Seth nods and looks up at the army and notices that they have cannons, "Those will be troublesome...."

One of the cannons fires a blast of fire that slams into the ground about twenty feet from the group. Seth turns back to Louise, "How close do you have to be for your magic to effect them all?"

Louise look from left to right across the vast army, "I'm going to have to be at least one hundred feet closer."

Seth smirks and as confident as he can says, "Okay."

Seth charges forward and the others follow right behind him. The cannon operators quickly adjust and the first shot is fired. Seth roars and fires a blast from his left hand destroying the shot from getting with ten feet of himself. Saito runs past Seth and makes it another ten feet before having to stop to deflect another cannon shot. Zion gets ahead of him and soon after raises an earth shield and blocks another on coming attack. Airo hurdles over Zion and continues forward. Airo comes to a dead stop and does a front flip swinging his left leg down with force and speed. The motion creates a wind blade that cuts through the next blast. While Seth is starting to catch up Hina, Rain, and Tabitha deflect the next cannon shot. Seth runs through the smoke of the blast stopped by the girls and finds on the other side the first of the soldiers. Seth draws his sword and cuts down the first man easily. He kicks the next man in the front of the knee knocking him down and he runs him through. As the smoke clears Seth finds himself at the beginning of an outer wall of soldiers.

Seth jumps backwards and whips out his hand firing a blast into the middle of the ranks and causes a large open spot as the rest of the group continues forward while Seth stays behind to handle the soldiers. Seth sticks his sword into the ground and removes his jacket, "HHHHHhaaaaaaa.....HHHhaaaaaaaa....YAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!"

Seth charges into the closing gap of the ranks and spins cutting down four men while a fifth runs up form behind him and tries to run him through with a spear. Seth traps the spear between his arm and his side and slams his elbow into the man's nose shattering it. Seth rips the spear from his hand and twirls it throwing it at a man charging toward him. He is struck in the side by a large man with a club riddled with sharp points Seth quickly gets to his feet and halves the club then halves the man. His side now has a four or five tears in his skin. Seth connects with a heel kick into the side of an enemies head. A blast of fire slams into his back burning away the over shirt he was wearing leaving just his black tank top to soak up his blood. Seth spins around and launches another blast that explodes, hopefully killing the mage that just hit him with the fire blast. A large sword gleams in the sun revealing itself just seconds before it has a chance to cut through Seth. He brings up his blade and shatters the sword into pieces and he continues with a spin cutting open the man's gut. An arrow flies past his head cutting off some of his hair. Seth looks ahead at the uneasy soldier who just missed a key opportunity to kill him. Seth charges releasing another roar and cuts down the adept archer. Before he can block it a man slams his foot into Seth's side knocking him down allowing another man with a club to hit Seth in the gut with an up swing sending him rolling over onto his back. Seth whips his sword around cutting deeply into both of the men's legs. Seth gets up and kills them both with one fluid motion. Falls to his knees and coughs out a mouthful and then some of blood.

"Shit, did he break one of my ribs?" The sound of a screaming man behind him makes Seth turn just in time to dodge a decapitating swing and Seth drives his blade into the gut of the man. Seth gets back to his feet and frees his sword from the man. Seth slowly looks up at the next man closest to him. An ogre of a man swings a giant club down at Seth. He dodges the attack but has to quickly take his attention off of the ogre and concentrate on the two men in front of him. Seth dodges a sword thrust and blocks another horizontal slash. Before he can counter he is hit in the shoulder by a club as well as the two men he has engaged. Seth slams down into the ground hard and gets to his knees quickly grabbing his sword before he can spin a giant hand takes him by the neck and lifts him off the ground as a spearman charges forward. Seth throws his blade down piercing through the foot of the ogre, as the monster man drops him Seth uses his gauntlets to glance the spear away and connect with a left hook into the jaw of the spear man. Seth turns around and removes the blade and quickly beheads the monster making sure that he won't be bother by him again. Seth points his blade at the men circling him leaving about five feet of fallen bodies between him and the rest of the warriors.

'_Come on Louise what is taking so long, I'm gonna finish here before....'_

A bright light suddenly floods the area. Seth quickly cuts down as man of the soldiers he can before they regain their composure from Louise's light. The small group of soldiers is finally lowered to less than ten but now Seth feels more stress than before when he was facing many more people. Five men charge at him from all directs so Seth flips backwards over a man who tries to jump and catch him but instead gets his head split open. Seth lands and immediately thrusts forward and cuts down three more with a horizontal slash. Seth takes in a few short breathes before he hears the sound of a bow string being drawn. The pain in the back of his left leg flows over his entire body as the jagged arrow slams into his skin instead of just piercing. Seth falls to the ground and yanks out the arrow realizing a pain filled scream. He gets up and dodges an arrow meant for his head and blocks another with his sword as he charges at the attacker and cuts the man diagonally up his body lifting him off his feet killing him before he hits the ground. Seth continues toward the castle and hopefully all of his friends.

As he is running as best he can he notices another smaller group of men that have all been cut down by what looks like knifes. Seth catches up with the girls who are in a circle formation around Louise who is down on the ground breathing heavily. Seth jumps into the air and cuts a man down from behind and runs over to Rain.

Rain hugs him and looks over his wounds, "Are you okay?!"

Seth nods but doesn't say yes, "You three need to get Louise to safety okay? That is what I am asking you to do. If you go in the exact same direction I just came from you should be able to get away from here without any trouble." Rain begins to protest but Seth looks at her with stern eyes, "This is not a time to argue, I need you all to get to safety you've done your part now let us do ours."

The three standing nod and Tabitha helps Louise as Rain and Hina lead them back. Seth turns around and tries to spot any of the other guys but can't, "You had better not die."

Seth charges into the mass of warriors getting ever closer to the castle. Once again he is slammed into this time by a weapon known as a morning star in his world. Seth gets up and angrily severs the chain removing the ball from the handle of the weapon and with a spin cuts down the man using the weapon. A burst of wind nearby catches his attention so he begins attacking in that direction until he stumbles into an open circle and in the middle is Saito. Seth quickly goes back to back with Saito, "Good to see you are still here." Seth notes the one cut on Saito's right forearm from possibly a barely dodged spear stab.

Saito notices the damage all over Seth's body, "You have a rough time?"

Seth smirks and cuts down two charging men, "Ever heard of an army with archers on the front line?"

Saito shakes his head and continues to attack noting the reference to wars back on Earth where the archers would have been at the back of the army so that they could protect the front line and rain arrows down on enemies without the fear of being cut down by them. Seth fires another blast from his hand while Saito releases his attack he recently learned from fighting with Seth both taking out many enemies. Saito and Seth move backwards increasing the distance between them and the circle of enemies.

"Hey Saito how many more times can you use that attack?"

Through breathes Saito unknowingly says, "I probably have four or five more of those in me. How about you I'm sure you can't keep firing those all day yourself."

Seth slams his fist into the throat of an attacker, "To be honest I've already used more of these than I ever have before so your guess is as good as mine at this point."

"Perfect....."

An explosion blows both Saito and Seth backwards onto the ground.

"What the hell Saito, I thought Louise used her dispel magic."

Saito gets up and looks around trying to find out where the blast came from, "That must have been there version of a bomb or something!?"

Seth ducks under a scythe silently noting the originality of it but then thrusts his blade through its' welder's chest killing him. Saito flips over Seth releasing another blast of energy clearing a path for them to get even further into the army. As they continue Seth notices more soldiers killed by Airo's knifes and now a few look to have been burnt to death. A man slugs Seth in the face staggering him and another spin kicks him in the back of the head knocking him down to his knees.

With a pissed off yell Seth sweeps the first man's legs and punches him in the crotch and then does a back flip slamming him foot into the other man's skull. With two swipes of his sword the two breath their last, "FUCK!!!!" Seth aims at the closest man and whips his sword at the man impaling it through his chest. Seth pounds his knuckles together and charges forward slamming his fist into the next man after the impaled one crushing the bones in the front of his face. Seth grabs him by the leg and spins throwing him against three men running up from behind him and Saito cuts them down while they are getting back to their feet. A dome of wind and fire erupts a few hundred feet away from Seth and Saito sending men in all directions.

Seth and Saito run in the direction of the blast and find Airo and Zion cutting down enemies with a combination of powerful magic and super fast knife cuts. Airo ducks under a man swinging a hammer like weapon and stabs his knifes into the man's thighs and then crosses the blades over the man's throat. Zion picks up a fallen man's spear and puts an electric current through it. He quickly hits four men sending currents of electricity through them allowing Airo to run over and kill them. Seth and Saito stand on either side of Zion and begin to protect him as he begins to look pale over his use of magic so constantly.

Zion stands up and begins to shout to the heavens as a large run symbol begins to grow out from the ground underneath him until it covers an area of thirty feet on all sides of the group. "Ready to see that magic you never saw before Seth.....nex addo patefacio porta quod vindicatum illa ago, EGO voco vos!"

Darkness covers the area within the rune except Zion, Airo, Seth, and Saito. The air becomes thick with sinister energy like the devil himself had opened the gates of hell begins to swirl the darkness like a tornado until it disperses and all the men within the rune all lie dead on the ground. Zion falls to his knees and spits out some black blood, "That will be the last time I ever use that magic, I hope you were paying attention Seth." Though the forty some men that were within the circle all died more charge in.

Airo runs at the men meeting them mid stride. With a quick spin two more fall to the ground. An axe comes down but it is stopped by Saito allowing Airo to kill another man. Seth stays back by Zion making sure that no one runs around Saito and Airo. While he is standing by Zion he takes in the battle field countless men have been killed even more will die before the day is done then I dawned on him.

"Saito!!!!"

Saito cuts down a man but can get back to Seth as he has to pay attention to the two other men attacking him, "WHAT!!!?"

Seth hands Zion a short sword and charges forward and rams into the man trying to kill Saito. He grabs the man by the side of the head and the jaw and yank breaking him neck, "We need to get into the castle, forget about the army."

Saito slashes taking down another man, "How can we just forget about an army?"

"If we kill the leader why would these people continue attacking, besides there will be less soldiers inside a castle of that size."

Zion gets up and runs the short sword through a man that was sneaking up behind Saito, "Shall we!?"

Airo turns back to them, "Try to keep up!"

Airo charges forward and activates his rune cutting and dodging attacks one after another cutting a small path through the soldiers. A few moments later the group reaches the large door but it won't budge. Seth who is bringing up the rear leaps over the group and slams his fist into the door destroying a human size piece of the door.

The group quickly get into the hole and cut down the unsuspecting soldiers guarding the door.

Seth falls to his knees panting a bead of blood mixed with sweat falls from his noses, "We made it. Everyone alright!?"

Zion and Saito say yes while Airo simply falls against a wall and slides down to the floor, as he lowers himself to the ground the wall behind him becomes smeared with blood.

Zion walks over to Airo and looks at his wound, a large gash in his right shoulder blade has quickly bled through his shirt, "Are you okay?"

Airo coughs out a, "Yea," and gets back to his feet.

Seth looks towards the spiraling stone steps leading up to higher levels. They start going up the steps and halfway to the second level Zion uses what little magic he has left and turns the steps into dust.

"Don't need anyone following...."

As they continue from level to level they realize that there are no other soldiers in the castle or at the very least on the higher floors. They finally reach the final level the steps lead to. The room appears to have been made to hold very lavish and grand parties but now only a thrown and three people fill the room and a fourth pinned to the wall.

The group quickly look over Griffin's body from a distance his head is bleeding and his hands have been impaled and stuck to the wall behind him leaving his unconscious body limp like a hanged man.

Ryu is standing next to the thrown while Sara is a few steps away on a small step before the thrown. A man with long black hair tied into a tight pony tail is sitting on the thrown a sword in one hand and a glass of wine in the other, "I'm so glad that I can finally meet the people who have cause me so much trouble." The man throws the glass against a wall and stands up, "And now I can kill you all personally!"

Sara steps before the man, "Cid I must ask your forgiveness."

The would be king, Cid looks down on the woman, "For what?"

She impales the king through the throat with her skinny, dainty, feminine, blade formed hand. As she removes her hand, slowly, the blood begins running down Cid's chest covering his kingly cape and the rub that the throne is sitting on and continues to flow until it forms a small puddle at the foot of the step. She takes in a deep breath and steps over the blood, "If it weren't for his status he would have been dead long ago." She smiles, "It is amazing how many people would come if Regent Cid called for them, then a little magic and poof.......an army filled with completely loyal soldiers." Sara walks over to Ryu and kisses his cheek and runs her hand down his cheek sensually, "We will rules and I will be queen of Germania and then Tristain and then the world." She turns from Ryu and sits on the thrown. She begins to laugh hysterically until Ryu draws his sword and like the world had slowed down, Sara's head and the top of the thrown fall to the floor one with a dull thud and the other with a sickening splat like sound. Ryu turns back to the four as a beheaded body continues to twitch and spirt blood.

"I have no ambitions of becoming some king that has to rule over someone, I just want what I wanted all along. To destroy everything. If we started over then I'm sure we'd finally learn for our mistakes." Ryu eyes grow wide and his breath short, "Think of it, a world with no war, no murder, no fighting.... an utopia....that is what I want, a perfect world and since this one is already to destroyed to be made into a perfect place I WILL reset this world and begin anew." Ryu removes the scabbard tied around his waist and lets it fall to the ground, "Will you too stand against me knowing what I intend to do, will you fight someone who is trying to save the world?"

"You can't save anything by destroying it that doesn't even make sense!" Seth runs at Ryu and fires a blast at close range.

The blast explodes as soon as it leaves Seth's hand and sends him sliding backwards on the ground. With an irritated groan Seth gets back to his feet his left arm bleeding pretty seriously. He charges again this time Saito follows after him and so does Airo. A fire ball reaches Ryu first as he defects the blast and then he spins slamming the back of his fist into the side of Seth's head and then dodges Satio's slash and slams the blunt side of his sword into him knocking him over the destroyed thrown. He dodges Airo's first slash and blocks the second, then quickly slams his knee in Airo's gut and then punts him in the gut knocking him into the air and back down onto his side. Zion fires another fireball but his magic has weakened greatly because of his use of death magic. Ryu breaks the fireball into pieces with his fist. Seth tries to connect with a spinning kick but the kick is blocked and countered with the handle of Ryu's sword into the top of Seth's head. Seth swings again but has to stop other wise he'd punch Ryu's blade and Ryu follows up with a kick. Saito quickly jumps in front of the kick and takes the force leaving Ryu open and Seth slams his fist into Ryu's face. Seth quickly connects with a kick to the side of his knee knocking him to a kneeling position and spins whipping his heel into the side of Ryu's chin. Airo runs up behind Seth and flips over him connecting with a front flip heel smash to the top of Ryu's head. Ryu quickly recovers and kicks Seth in the face with the bottom of his foot and then uses his magic to blast Airo across the room and into a wall. Saito quickly gets back to his feet and swings his blade down as hard as he can but Ryu blocks the attack and punches Saito in the face and then pump kicks him backwards to the floor. Ryu fires a blast of lightning that slams into Saito's sword but it launches him across the room and he ends up next to Griffin. Seth gets up to his hands and knees but his body won't let him get any further. Ryu walks over to him and raises his sword about his head and prepares to end Seth.

"RYU!!!"

Saito charges at him with Derflinger in his left hand and Excamasa in his right. Saito slams Derflinger into Ryu's blade and brings Excamasa across for a horizontal slash but Ryu jumps back narrowly avoiding the blade. Saito charges in again and the two begin to trade attacks back and force neither one getting any actually hits. Ryu suddenly reaches out and grabs Saito's left hand and head buts him staggering him, Ryu draws his sword back and puts it through Saito's left arm.

Seeing Saito fall to the ground with Ryu's blade still in his arm seems to set off something inside Seth and he sprints at Ryu and connects with a sloppy straight punch that not only knocks Ryu to the floor but makes Seth fall over because he trips over his over feet and falls flat on his face.

"Damn it...... I can barely move."

Seth struggles to get back to his feet and finds that Ryu is already back to his feet and walking toward Saito. Seth runs after him again but this time Ryu sees him coming and slams his forearm into Seth's chest sending him head over heels and back down hard. Ryu continues walking toward Saito but is kick away by Griffin whose arms are hanging at his sides.

"It was nice of Saito to get me off that wall huh brother?"

Ryu takes in a deep irritated breathe and charges at Griffin. Ryu slams his fist into Griffin's chest so hard it lifts him off his feet. Ryu picks up his brother by the neck and begins to pummel him with the other hand. Airo runs at Ryu and he throws Griffin into Airo knocking them both to the ground.

Ryu turns his attention to Zion who has been quietly saying a spell this whole time. Saito slams himself into Ryu before he can get near Zion but Ryu just removes the sword and slams the blunt of the blade into Saito's back dropping him to the ground.

Ryu brings his blade back and swings at Zion but Seth gets in the way and blocks the blade with his gauntlets but the sword has broken through the metal and has begun to cut into Seth's hands. Seth changes his stand and holds the blade against his side so that Ryu can't twists it or swing it. Ryu punches Seth in the face but he doesn't let go of the sword. In one swift motion Ryu lets go of his sword and spins getting force behind his kick that connects with the side of Seth's head knocking him down hard, though he didn't still let go of the sword. Ryu pulls out a small blade and prepares to run Zion through when he suddenly opens his eyes and calls out.

"Release!"

Ryu stumbles backwards and drops the short sword. He begins breathing heavily and clutches at his stomach and then his head. Zion falls to the ground completely exhausted from casting the spell. Seth watches from the floor as Ryu begins to lose his composure and start to frantically look around for something that can help him. Saito stands up and picks up Griffin's sword. He slowly limps towards Ryu as he has fallen to the floor and can't seem to catch his breath.

Saito lifts the blade so the tip is at the center of Ryu's back.

"I just wanted to make the world a better place...."

Saito closes his eyes and forces the blade through Ryu's back and out the middle of his chest.

As Ryu falls to the ground his body slowly turns back into Kai's, "Thank you........you've saved me....thank.............................."

Saito falls backwards against a nearby wall and slides down to the floor, "Seth did we do it?"

Seth begins to slowly fade in and out of consciousness, "I...don't...know..." Seth puts his head back down on the floor and closes his eyes. Darkness surrounds......

* * *

The feeling of a warm body makes him not want to but he opens his eyes and finds himself in a bed in a familiar place. He looks at a beautiful woman in the bed next to him, a smile on her face.

Saito sits up and cringes at the pain in his side still, the mixture of sitting up and cringing waking up Louise. She sits up in the bed next to him a small amount of blush fills her cheeks.

"Morning Saito....."

Saito looks at Louise, "Thank goodness." Saito hugs her tight to him and runs his hand through her hair, "Louise....."

Louise doesn't pull away she just let's her familiar hug her. Saito releases her and puts his hand on her cheek feeling the warm soft flesh of her face. Louise reaches up and grabs his hand and snuggles her face against his hand. Saito learns toward her and his hand slides behind her head and he lightly puts his lips to hers. He moves away and a moment later she reciprocates the kiss.

Saito pulls away, "I think I'd like to have a proper wedding now..."

Louise smiles and laughs as she hugs him and rests her head against her chest, "Me too."

Saito doesn't want the moment to end but only moments this perfect happen after someone has died, "Louise what happened?"

Louise pulls away and looks at Saito with a confused look at first before realizing what he is talking about, "Well after we left we watched from a hill and another light flashed only this time a lot of the soldiers turn on some of the others. I couldn't really tell what happened but the men where cheering after they finished. We weren't sure what to make of it so we waited until most of them were gone and then we snuck into the castle. We found everyone in this large room, you and Seth where both very hurt. We quickly rushed you all to a healer thanks to Tabitha and her dragon we managed to save everyone's life except a man named...Kai. He already was dead when we arrived. A few days ago Seth finally woke up and they were called to Queen Henrietta's palace. From what I understand they have all decided to work for Tristain under a different name that I guess Seth thought up. I think he called it the Secret Service."

Saito smiles at the idea that Seth decided to use a name from Earth like Secret Service, "So I guess it all worked out huh...."

The door to the room opens and a familiar face walks into the room.

"Siesta it is so good to see you."

Before another word can be said a familiar feeling fills the air. Saito turns back to Louise and she is already holder her wand, "How good is it to see that maid? Didn't you just say you wanted to marry me? You perverted horny dog!" Saito gets out of the bed and runs past Siesta followed closely by Louise, "BAKABAKABAKABAKABAKABAKA!"

An explosion shakes the entire Tristain Academy for Magic and no one panics.....


End file.
